Wind And Waves
by HeroOfTheCastleOfMarble
Summary: James is the pirate Captain of The Marauder. Lily is the daughter of a Duke. The two strike up a contract and the next thing Lily knows, she's on a Pirate ship, with one of the deadliest pirates after her. AU LilyJames Please read and review! Complete
1. The Contract

Okay I know I started another Harry Potter story, and I am working on it, I just don't know where that one is going so this one came into my head, and the plot was just all there, planned out and everything. So I started this one. Pirates and Harry Potter...yay!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters you recognize, but I do own the story.

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Wind and Waves

Chapter 1- The Contract

Captain James Potter stood at the rail of his ship, _The Marauder_. His dark, unkept hair ruffled on his skin, tanned by weeks of being on the water. His hazel eyes glinted with a mischievous light, his lips curled in a half smile. He was tall and lean with broad shoulders and a handsome face. Muscle rippled under his skin like the waves on the water, his hands were rough from working on the ship. At one side was a long sword, tucked in his belt was a pistol, and hidden in his boot was a dagger. His baggy tan shirt was half open, showing a finely toned chest. James blinked as the sun danced on the blue ocean, glinting from the cloudless sky. There was a sound behind him and James turned and saw another man step up close to him.

Unlike James', this man's hair was longer, shoulder-length, his dark eyes sharply taking in each detail as he looked up and down the ship. He was slightly taller than James, wearing the same snug pants and baggy shirt that James wore, with a sword, gun, and dagger as well. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and he was smirking at James. "Found her." He told him in a warm voice. He pointed and James looked across the water and saw the prized ship near the horizon, her white sails taking in the same wind theirs did, their blue flag flapping from the top of the mast.

"_The Winter Flower_." James murmured, watching the ship. He glanced at his first-mate. "Think they've noticed we're tailing them, Sirius?"

The man named Sirius shrugged. "Would it matter? We're using the same wind, and _The Marauder_ is one of the fastest ships in the waters. Besides that ship is weighed down with so much gold even if they were normally faster than us, they couldn't out sail a sea turtle at this rate."

James grinned. "How much gold?" He asked.

"Not certain on the exact amount." Sirius admitted, slightly ashamed.

James looked at him sharply, perhaps sharper than he intended. "What! You come out of a pub telling me how some drunk sailor was going on about all the gold on this ship, and that we must go after it, and you don't even know how much gold is on it? What did I tell you about researching your claims, Sirius?"

"Sirius research? That's the most laughable concept since sliced bread." James glanced at the newcomer. His hair was light in color, as was his face, his eyes were gray and distant. He was just as tall as the other two, skinnier though, with an almost beaten look about him. But anyone that knew Remus Lupin, knew he was far from beaten. The daggers that hung at his side with his sword, and the scars on his arms and back were proof of that.

"I would like to point out that sliced bread is a very wise concept." Sirius said, grinning at Remus. "But I won't argue that me researching is rather laughable."

James glared at them and opened his mouth to retort when Remus broke in again. "Thousands of gold pieces." He said bluntly. James shut his mouth with a snap and Remus smirked. "If you're looking for a real number, we'll just say that the total amount of gold on that ship is more than we've plundered in the past two years."

The Captain nearly gaped at his friend, but caught himself in time. "How much more?" He asked instead.

Sirius joined in Remus' smirk. "_Much_ more." He laughed. "And that's not all."

James cocked an eye. "What else is there?"

"The Duke, the kings brother is on that ship." Remus said slowly.  
"As well as his very lovely daughter." Sirius said, breathing loudly and looking off in the distance as though he was picturing the beauty. Remus snorted at him and James rolled his eyes. Sirius had three loves. His friends were the first, the other two were gold and woman, in no particular order.

James rubbed his chin as his eyes focused more clearly on the ship in the distance. "The Duke…"He murmured to himself.

Remus looked at him sharply. "James…" He said, an uneasy feeling creeping across his skin. He knew his friend well, almost like the back of his hand. And the look in James' eyes was one that could only lead to trouble. "James, what's on your mind?"

Sirius perked up and glanced at his friend, his face interested at James' response.

James slowly smiled. "What if I told you I had a way to get us so much gold that we'd be able to retire to some tropical island and never have to pirate again?"

Sirius looked at him confused. "The gold on that ship right now could last us awhile." He pointed out, then frowned. "Though after you take out the crew's part…and add in food and drink…and of course wenches…"

"Of course." Remus muttered amused.

"Well…it might last a couple months." Sirius sheepishly admitted. He could spend money like there was no tomorrow which, when you were living the life of a pirate, wasn't uncommon.

"I can get us more money then is just on the ship right now." James told them in an assured manner.

"Oh really, do tell." Remus said sarcastically, Sirius chuckled.

James slung his arm around Sirius' shoulders. "Let's say you're the king. You have an unlimited amount of money."

"I like where this is going." Sirius told Remus, who rolled his eyes in response, trying to hide his grin.

"And let's say you have a brother."

"Okay…do I have to share the money?"

"Sirius." James warned.

"Okay, okay. Continue Captain."

"You have a brother…who you've known almost your entire life. You've fought together, played together, fallen in love at the same time, had children that are just as good of friends. You're not only brothers, you're friends. Loyal to each other until death."

"I fail to see your point, James." Sirius said. "You sound like you're describing the three of us…of course without the falling in love and the children." Remus hit him upside the head.

"And then say your brother is kidnapped by pirates." James took his arm off Sirius and turned to face his two friends, arms crossed in front of him.

"Oh now you're talking about us." Sirius smirked.

"How much would you be willing to give to get your brother back, unharmed and alive?"

"I'd give you anything you wanted." Sirius said, his smile growing by the minute.

"Or I'd send my entire armada to catch the pirate who kidnapped him." Remus pointed out.

Sirius frowned. "Wet blanket, Remus, that's what you are."

"No I'm being sensible." Remus retorted.

James shook his head. "He won't send the armada, Remus. We'll tell him we'll kill his brother if anyone comes after us with a war flag flying."

Remus snorted. "If we kill his brother there goes our ransom, as well as our lives, for if we do kill the Duke the King will send every man out after us and we'll be hung before the year's out!"

James smirked. "We can still tell the king that we will kill the duke, he won't know whether or not we'd actually do it, and he won't want to risk it. He's not going to gamble with his brother's life just to see if we're bluffing or not." Remus fell silent, looking slightly less doubtful.

Sirius was grinning from ear to ear. "All the loot on that boat….plus all the ransom. The first thing I'm going to do is buy me a house with all that money. With a maid of course."

James laughed and walked toward the steering wheel, shouting orders. "Get the guns ready, let loose the sails, bring her around, prepare to board!"

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Lillian Evans, daughter to Duke Evans, niece to the King, propped her elbows on the rail of the ship. Her red hair tried to pull loose from the tight braid she'd put it in. She wore a long, loose dress, the sleeves reached to her elbows, flaring at the ends. Her collar was square and stopped just before her shoulders curve, and fell to show only a little cleavage. The white stash stuck out against the pale blue dress, whose skirt whipped around the ankles of the wearer. Lily brushed a stray piece of hair from her emerald eyes that were watching the ship in the distance. It was getting closer. It had been for the past hour or so, but now it was so close she could see the men moving along the deck. No flag had been flown and she could hear the members of the crew on _The Winter Flower_ scurrying around trying to figure out what to do about the unknown ship.

There was a touch on her shoulder and Lily turned to smile at her father. He swayed slightly beside her, his face pale. Her father wasn't faring well on the journey, his color had gone pale, his eyes were bleak, and he was constantly throwing up. Lily felt worry pull at her heart as she watched him. He shouldn't be making this trip, for one things he's old, for another he's getting sicker by the day, Lily told herself.

The Duke met her eyes slowly. "Lily we fear those men are pirates."

"Pirates?" Lily asked. Half of her shook with fear, while the other held her breath with anticipation. Pirates, it was exciting, and scary all at the same time.

"I want you to hide below deck, don't come out no matter what. They must want the gold."

"We don't have that much." Lily told him. "Maybe they'll go away."

Her father looked very doubtful and began leading her toward the steps that led to the cabins below deck. "I want you to promise me that you will use your head and keep safe." He begged.

Lily nodded, clutching her dress. "I promise. Don't worry father."

He weakly smiled at her. "I'll try."

Lily disappeared down the steps, moving out of the way as many of the sailors who were soldiers as well, rushed up on deck. Lily wove around through the halls and found herself in the room where the gold was stashed. She glanced around and half felt as though she would have to cover her eyes from the glare of the glinting treasure. There was two small mounds of gold plates, cups, and candle holders, as well as at least three trunks filled with gold.

If she knew one thing it was that if you wanted to really hide, you hit in the most obvious place. So Lily walked toward the back of the room, where there were boxes and barrels, all which had nothing in them. She ducked behind them and curled up against the wall, hugging her legs close to her body.

She could hear the thudding on the floor above her. Then she heard cannon fire. Impossible that they could've already been engaged in battle, she thought to herself. Maybe they were just warning the pirates away. Lily felt the boat shake underneath her and she grabbed onto the wall to steady herself. There were shouts from above and Lily swallowed, her mind wandering to the pirates.

They wanted the money, that was obvious. They also may want captives. Lily shook harder as she heard more fire and yells from the crew. Pirates were also known to rape woman. She was the only woman aboard the ship. What if they…

Lily shook her head to rid her of the scary thoughts. We'll all be fine, she told herself. We have some of the best soldiers on this ship. They'll defend us and we'll reach uncle fine with all the gold. I'll get so sleep in the nice warm bed at the castle, with warm soup…

Lily continued to think about what would happen when they finally reached the King at the capitol. She hardly realized that the cannon fire had stopped, or that there sounded like more people on the ship above her than before. What finally jolted her out of her daze was the door of the compartment opening and two men step in. She held her breath and watched the two men step around the gold.

One of the men was tall and skinny with light features, the other was shorter and fatter, blond hair and beady eyes. "Peter you should feel lucky that James let you come on the ship at all." The tall one scolded the other.

The fat man shrugged. "I know, I know, Remus. After all, I'm only the lookout, right?"

The tall man laughed and walked deeper into the room, picking through the gold. "Sirius is going to have a heart attack when he sees all of this."

"How are we going to get all this on the ship?" The short man named Peter asked.

Remus smiled and picked up a handful of gold before stuffing it in his pockets. "We tie up the crew of this ship, after they help us load it all up, then we leave. Like we always do. Don't you pay attention?"

"It's all rather hard to make out from a crow's nest." Lily heard Peter mutter. The man named Remus was getting closer and Lily was beginning to realize how silly it had been to hide here. She clutched herself as Remus stepped up to the boxes and paused.

"Boxes?" He asked, glancing at Peter. "Why are there boxes here?"

"To hold more treasure?" Peter suggested, inspecting a some of the gold.

"Hmm…maybe." Remus pulled out a box and tore off the top. "It's empty."

Peter dropped the gold and came over. "Are you sure?"

"I'm not blind, Peter." Remus shoved the empty box at him. He pulled another box, and another fell, nearly on top of Lily. Remus reached around to it, and as he did, his gray eyes met Lily's green ones. Both sets of eyes widened, Remus in surprise and Lily in fear. She jumped up and tried to run off. Remus, for all that he looked weak to her, was surprisingly strong, and fast. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her over, holding her arms at bay.

Peter gaped at her. "A girl!"

"This would be Lillian Evans, the Dukes daughter." Remus panted. Lily was struggling against his arms. "Right, dear?" Lily struggled harder. Remus was half wondering if he should yank out his dagger to get her to calm down when she elbowed him in the ribs. Remus felt winded, but managed to grab his dagger and hold it close enough to her for her to realize he was serious, but not close enough to hurt her. "Calm down." He ordered in an unusually serene voice. Lily froze, sensing the cold blade near her throat. "Thank you." Remus breathed. He glanced at Peter. "Start loading this up, I'll send someone down to you. I'm going to bring her up there with the rest of them." Peter nodded. He wasn't going to argue with the second-mate. That was crazy. Remus returned the nod and led Lily out of the room and up the steps onto the main deck, careful not to prick her with the knife.

The sight that greeted Lily nearly made her faint. Soldiers were either lying around, dead, or were being held at bay by some pirates. She glimpsed her father near the steering wheel, surrounded by at least ten pirates with the captain there as well. Remus stopped at the steps leading to the landing where the steering wheel was and glanced at the three pirates who stood there. He handed her to two of the three, to the third he said, "Peter's below deck with the treasure, grab some of the lads, and some of theirs, and begin loading it up on our ship. I doubt the captain wants to be here all night." The pirate nodded and went off, as did Remus, leaving Lily being held by two burly pirates.

"Pretty little lady." One pirate admitted.

"Think the captain would let us have any fun with her?" The other questioned.

The first pirate shook his head, holding tight to one of Lily's arms. "Our captain? You mean the captain who locks himself away when we make port to go and wench? That's a true laugh."

Lily ignored the two pirates and strained her ears for what was going on around her father.

"The King will hear of this, Captain Potter." That was the Captain of _The Winter Flower_. He was nearly spitting with anger at one of the men who were standing close to him. Lily noticed the Remus had stepped up to the same man, who happened to have his back to her, and looked as though he wanted to tell him something.

"Oh I'm planning on it." The man with his back turned replied in a warm voice. "I'm planning on you also telling the Kthat we have his brother, and will be waiting for the ransom for him. I'm also banking on the fact that you will inform the King if he tries to take the Duke back by force, he'll be killed."

"No!" Lily shouted out. The men on the landing turned and stared at her. The one who had spoken to the captain met her eyes, a look crossing his face she didn't recognize. She felt the grip on her arms tighten and squeaked.

The man snapped awake. "Bring her up here, and for goodness sake don't hurt her. Haven't you two any brains at all?"

The two pirates brought her on the landing. She could see her father, held tight by two pirates and looking at her fearfully. The Captain was struggling against his captors, though hardly having any luck. Remus was standing near a man with longish black hair and the one who had ordered her to the landing. She met his eyes and felt her heart tense.

His eyes were deep, like the sea, and she slowly felt herself getting lost in the hazel eyes. They glinted and she swallowed, her mouth dry. He was certainly handsome, his hair messy, his face clean shaven and young. Tan and built. Her breath caught and it was all she could do to keep his eye contact.

James felt something stir next to his ribcage as he locked the girls' emerald green eyes. Gorgeous, he had to admit it to himself. Her flaming hair was coming loose from it's braid, and her dress fit her snugly in all the right places. But there was something else, he could see it in her face. Fear. And for the first time in years, James felt a little guilt roll around in his stomach.

He snapped his head around and glanced at Remus. "And you were going to tell me that there was a girl on board…when?" He asked.

Remus made a face. "You knew the Duke's daughter was aboard. And I just found her in the cabin with all the treasure."

James looked content and glanced at the girl. "You yelled out 'no' very sharply a moment before." He told her, his voice smooth. "Do you have a particular suggestion you're saying no to…or is it just anything that might happen here?"

Lily licked her lips. "You can't take my father away." She told him, her voice slightly higher than she intended.

James eyes swept over her again. She was barely 18, only four years his junior, though hardly looked junior to any girl he'd seen. "Actually, I can. That's why I'm the pirate, and he's not." James told her smartly.

Lily mutely shook her head at him and James looked at the Duke. "So sir if you would be so kind-"

"Take me!" James looked at Lily, his eyes wide.

"What did you say?" He asked, unsure.

"I said take me. Don't take my father, he's sick and he'll only get sicker. The King's ransom could take awhile, and my father might even die before you get it." Lily pleaded. The Duke stared at her, his eyes willing her to be quiet. "He won't be worth anything to you dead!" Lily informed James. Her heart was pounding, she couldn't let her already ailing father be taken by these pirate scum.

James shook his head. "You may be the King's niece, but that means nothing here."

"I'll stay on your ship." Lily said without thinking. James blinked at her. "I'll bind myself to your ship, for the rest of my days. I'll even cook for you, or clean. I'll be bound to you and your crew, Captain Potter." James was giving the impression that he had been hit across the face. Lily's breath quickened, her head was telling her it was foolish, but she couldn't let her father be taken, especially when she was much stronger than he was. She could tell by the look in the pirate's eyes that it was a tempting offer. A young girl was a catch for any pirate, that she knew.

James stared at the girl. It was hardly a matter of life and death, he thought to himself. He wasn't going to kill the Duke, of course he couldn't tell her that now and have the Captain tell the King that. But honestly, didn't that girl have any sense at all? No one is going to truly hurt a hostage, not if you want to get the full ransom. James turned his eyes to the Duke. The man did look sickly, and James had heard rumors about the Duke's sea sickness, but no one truly died of that…at least he'd never heard of a case.

Then again, the girl was…well beautiful was just an understatement, James decided. Her eyes were bright, her hair filled, and she was, well a woman for lack of any other descriptions he could muster at the moment. A woman on board would be entertaining, and if she could cook then maybe he wouldn't have to worry about getting sea-sick himself from the gruel the current cook dished out.

Still, all the money that the Duke could bring, alive of course, was just as tempting if more. She wouldn't bring any money, especially if, like she offered, she would stay on the ship for the rest of her days. That would be a lose of money if anything.

James shook his head mutely. "You're out of your mind." He told her. Lily looked like she was about to burst into tears. James felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked and found Sirius' lips close to his ear.

"Are you a great fool?" Sirius demanded. "All that treasure and a lovely lady to boot, and you're going to turn it down. Are you a pirate or ain't you?" James blinked, confused. "Besides that girl could get us more loot, no one would expect a girl to rob 'em."

"I think you're the great fool." James pointed out.

"James she's ready to bind herself to you, to the ship, to the crew. That opportunity doesn't walk around all the time. And she is a gorgeous girl."

"That's a life sentence." James mulled over. He glanced at Remus, who always had a much sounder mind then Sirius did. "Remus?"

Remus shrugged. "It's either the Duke or the girl James, you know that. She could be telling the truth about him being sick, and well Sirius is going to run out of the ransom money anyway, if you get my meaning." Sirius glared at him for a moment before nudging James.

"James, that girl's a catch. I know you don't wench but-"

"If I do take her she's not going to be a wench on my pirate ship." James seethed at his friend. "Don't you two get it? If we take her we lose the ransom."

"Might be worth it." Sirius said, watching Lily who was struggling against her captors.

James cast a look at Sirius. "I thought you wanted all the ransom money to buy a house and a maid?" He demanded.

Sirius shrugged. "I live on the sea, mate. And besides," He looked at Lily. "She said she'd cook for us. Doesn't that sort of count as a maid?"

"Not the kind you're thinking of." James muttered. He turned back to Lily. Her eyes flashed at him, something was hidden behind that fear. Spirit. James felt a spark of interest in his brain. Spirit was a highly desired quality. Girls with it were much more interesting than those without it. And she probably had hidden it away like a good little lady of quality. James cast a look at his two friends. Remus half smiled at him, giving his agreement, Sirius smirked, daring him to go through with it. James nodded at them and faced Lily, arms on his chest.

"All right, but there's another rule." Lily looked at him. "You can't try to escape. You're bound until you die of old age or until some soldier manages to get the best of me. You don't try to escape and you, Duke," James turned to the Duke now. "No one, sent by either you or the King, comes after her. You send no one after us and we don't go after you. This is your daughter's own choice, by her free will."

"The free will of a pirate you mean." The Duke glared angrily. James ignored him and spoke to Remus.

"You can write better than I. Write up the terms, then the three of us will sign." Remus disappeared for a moment and came back with paper and pen. He jotted down on the paper the terms and drew three lines. He handed the paper to James who gave it to the Duke to sign. After he had done so James pulled the dagger from his boot. "Add blood to the contract." He ordered. The Duke, glaring at the pirate captain, cut his hand finger and let the drops fall on his signature. James went to Lily. The pirates beside her dropped her hands and she took the paper and quill. She signed her name and let the blood fall. As James took it their hands met for a moment. She stared up at him.

"You're signing your life away." He told her. "I hope you know that I'll never understand why, and I'll probably never care."

"I don't think a pirate ever could." She replied truthfully.

James looked slightly amused as he signed his name on the contract and added his blood. He dropped the quill on the ground with disinterest and rolled up the contract, then put it inside his shirt. Lily saw the glint of a gold chain around his neck, but it disappeared behind the shirt. James looked around. "The contract's sealed." He said ceremoniously. He looked at Lily. "Let her say goodbye, then help load the treasure." James stared to exit the landing, but grabbed Lily's arm before he did. She looked up at him. "Remember the deal…no escapes."

She watched him mutely as he left her with Remus and the other men, leaving two pirates behind, standing a short distance away.

Lily fell into her father's hug. "Oh Lily, why did you do that stupid thing?" He asked of her. "They wouldn't have killed me."

Lily nodded. "I know….they'd want to keep you alive for the ransom. But you would get sick and you know it, and besides, you always spoke of how I loved the sea, now I get to spend the rest of my life on it." Lily fake smiled at him and her father shook his head.

"You have no life now, my flower." He hugged her. "One day we will meet again, love. And that Captain will be shown how an Evans repays his enemies."

Lily's tears stained her father's shirt, then she turned and descended the stairs. The crew was tied and she could see the captain and her father on the landing. With the help of some pirates she was put on the pirate ship. The other pirates clamored aboard, the last of the gold having been loaded on. Lily stared out from the railing and James shouted the command to leave. _The Marauder_ sped away from_ The Winter Flower_, the people becoming smaller as Lily's tears became harder to hide.

Remus watched her from the entrance to the cabins. James was standing beside him, fiddling with a dagger. "We should've just taken the Duke." Remus told him bluntly.

James looked up at him, then turned his gaze to Lily. Remus swore he saw James' face soften for a fraction of a second before it hardened into his cool pirate demeanor.

"You gave your agreement." James pointed out.

Remus shrugged. "You're my captain. The choice is always yours."

"She's a captive all the same. And now we might have a real cook. Maybe she can make something worth eating on this floating wooden house." James turned and disappeared into his cabin. Remus sighed and leaned against the door, watching Lily standing at the rail.

Finally he moved toward her. "Um…Miss Evans?" He asked her.

"Lillian." Lily said. "But my father called me Lily. Like the flower." Her eyes still scanned the sea. Remus cleared his throat.

"I should probably show you where you'll be staying." He told her. She glanced at him.

"With the crew?" She asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Remus chuckled softly. "No…we're pirates, but we're not that cruel to a young girl." Lily found herself finding that hard to believe. "There's a separate room you may stay in." He led her across the deck, down the creaking stairs , past a door, maybe two, and showed her a small room, with only a bed and a table, that held a washing bowl.

"It's small." Remus admitted. "But no one will bother you. The captain will see to it." Remus added, thinking he could at least spark maybe some hope for her in James' character.

Lily didn't seem affected. "Thank you." She said, coldly and calmly. Remus nodded and left, closing the door. When she was sure he was gone Lily threw herself on to the bed, soaking the pillow with her tears.

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So...good? bad? love it? hate it? Tell me, tell me! Please review and let me know what you think of it. Thanks. 


	2. Captain's Orders

Chapter 2...yay! If you're reading this then you must think there's hope after chapter 1...hopefully it won't disappoint.

Disclaimer-Anyone you recognize isn't mine, the story is thank you.

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Chapter 2- Captain's Orders

Lily cracked her eyes open. The boat rocked back and forth and she clung to the blanket she had slept on, holding it close to her chin as she watched the light that streamed in from the tiny window above her head, dance on the floor of the cabin. There was a pound at the door and Lily sat up, immediately feeling dizzy.

"Hello?" She asked, unsure of how to respond.

The door was pushed open. She at once recognized the man as one of the two who had spoken to the Captain the day before, or was it the day before? The man smiled at her. Yes she definitely remembered that smile, but what was his name?

"Hello." He greeted her warmly enough.

"Hello." Lily murmured to him. The man bark-laughed at her and set a tray down on a small chair that sat near the door.

"Some food." He told her confused face. "Can't have you starving, can we?" He turned to leave up Lily called out to him.

"How long have I been asleep?"

The man shrugged. "Just the afternoon and into the night." He smiled at her expression. "It hasn't been days, flower girl. Only one night."

"What's your name?" She asked of him, her nose wrinkling slightly at the name "flower girl".

"Sirius. Sirius Black." He replied, smirking at her. "First-Mate here on _The Marauder_."

"The…what?" Lily cocked her head as Sirius laughed.

"The ship we're on, Lily-girl. It's called _The Marauder_." Sirius pulled open the door.

"How do you know my name?" Lily demanded, standing up and swaying slightly.

Sirius cocked an eye at her. "You ask way too many questions for one man to answer." He informed her lightly. "Remus told us."

"Remus…the light-haired one…the one who brought me to the cabin last night…right?" Sirius nodded. "What else did he tell you?" She asked, unsure.

Sirius laughed again, and Lily found herself wanting to smile at the warm sound, but she fought until she was frowning. "Well he says you have a rather bony elbow." Sirius told her while Lily blushed red, Sirius escaped the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Lily swallowed and stepped over to the chair. Suddenly a wave of coldness hit her. None of it had been a dream, she realized. She was on a pirate ship, alone. The only woman with a bunch of low-life men who could or would do who knows what to her. Her father had almost been captured and she had switched places, sealing her life away on a contract with a rogue Captain.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! She scolded herself, hitting her forehead. Why did I do that? Of course she knew why, and if faced Lily realized she would probably do it again. But for now it was all right to pretend.

Lily touched the tray. There was a mug of something that resembled water, as well as a bowl of something Lily couldn't identify, and a hard piece of bread. Lily poked the bread and found it hard. She made a face and left the food as it was, choosing to lie down again.

She lay on her stomach the rest of the morning, staring out the window, watching the blue rolling waves near the ship.

When Sirius came to get the tray back that afternoon he found all the food there, as well as the drink. He cast her a look, which she returned mutely, before staring back out the window.

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Five days later Sirius pushed open the door of James' cabin and walked quickly in. Remus and James were staring at a map on James' desk, following lines with their fingers. Sirius walked up to them and banged hard on the desk, causing them to both jump and look at him.

"Well now that I've got your attention." Sirius smirked and James' glare. "I've got news. Your little lady friend isn't eating."

James cocked an eye. "What?"

"She's not eating. Hasn't been for the past five days I'd say."

"James told you to give her food." Remus began angrily.

"I did! Don't jump on me, Remus. I may be a pirate but I'm not going to starve a young girl." Sirius looked slightly thoughtful for a moment. "Though there might be somewhere in the Pirates Code of Honor that claims I have to…"

"Sirius!" James growled at him.

"All right!" Sirius threw up his hands in surrender. "I gave her food. Some in the morning, some in the afternoon, and some at night. Just like we all have. She doesn't eat it. I go back to get it, and it's all there, and she's lying on her bed staring out the window watching who knows what." He blinked at his friends.

"Did you tell her to eat?" James suggested.

Remus snorted at him. "You can't tell someone to eat." He scolded.

"You can if they signed a contract." James informed him. As Remus blinked at him James told Sirius, "Tell her I said to eat." Sirius shook his head as he left. Remus glanced down at James.

"What?" James demanded.

"That seems a bit…I don't know, cold, don't you think?" Remus asked. "You're pulling out the contract, so that she'll eat?'

"It's a good think she's not a genie who I only get three orders with." James told him.

"It's wishes, James." Remus corrected. "She's depressed…maybe you should talk to her."

James looked at him. "I'm a pirate, like you. We don't 'talk'." Remus rolled his eyes. "Okay well you and I and Sirius talk…but I don't talk to girls. I get annoyed with them, but I don't talk to them."

"She won't eat." Remus told him as James stood up, grabbing his belt with the sword in it.

James looked at him curiously. "Why not?"

"Because like you must've realized, she's got spirit somewhere in her. And she is not going to like taking orders from you. She already probably regrets the contract."

"I do too." James muttered to himself, thinking about the gold that he could've gotten from the king. "You're telling me she's going to starve herself to prove to me she's not going to take my orders?"

Remus shrugged. "Maybe. I'm not her, so I can't tell you."

James fingered the contract sitting on the desk. "Why did I take her aboard?" He asked Remus. "I think I signed myself into a whole lot of trouble."

----------------------------

The days were long for Lily, who hadn't left the cabin since she'd been shown to it by Remus. Her stomach growled to her, demanding food, but she left the food on the tray every time Sirius brought it. Lily instead watched the waves rippling in the sea, then would sleep, wake up in time to see Sirius either taking food or bringing it, and then start the cycle again.

The days rolled into nights, and the nights were spent listening to the creeking of the ship, and the sounds of the men drinking or laughing. Lily buried herself under the blankets that were on her bed, and lay there, her dreams reaching out to England, where her father was most likely by now.

A couple mornings after Sirius' alerting James, Lily woke to find Remus brining in her food instead of Sirius.

"Where…what are you…" She tried to form a question, fighting off sleep.

Remus smiled at her. "Sirius claimed it was depressing, always seeing food going to waste. I believe his words were a little more colorful, however."

Lily blinked and Remus made to leave, but stopped at the last second, fixing her with a serious look. "What do you hope to gain by not eating?" He asked her. "You'll just get sick."

"Maybe then I won't have to spend forever on a pirate ship." Lily said slowly.

Remus shook his head at her. "Miss Evans, if I were you, I'd eat."

Lily stuck out her chin at him. "Why? Because of a contract? Because Captain whatever-his-name-is told me to? I think not. I may be bound to this ship, but he can't order me around like a dog telling me where to sit or eat!" She snapped at Remus.

Remus sighed. "Lily you're bound to this ship, this crew. Well James Potter is the leader of this crew, the captain of this ship. And you're bound to him, bound to listen to him, whether you want to or not." Lily flapped her mouth, but no sound came out. "I suggest you think about that." Remus told her as he left.

Lily glared at the closed door and walked up to the tray. She picked up the mug of water and glared at it. "As if I'd eat food only fit for the rats." She growled. She threw the bread across the room and it hit the candlestick near the bed. The candle fell to the floor with a loud clatter.

------------------

Remus heard the clatter and sighed as he noticed James walking down the hall toward him.

"What was that sound?" James asked sharply.

Remus pointed at Lily's door. "I don't think she liked what was sent to eat." He replied slowly.

James fumed. "How many days has it been?" James demanded.

"Since when?" Remus questioned.

"Since she came here…since she hasn't been eating."

"Eight I believe. Why?"

James narrowed his eyes at the door. "Eight days without food, couldn't one die from that?"

"Some may…her stomach is probably protesting it."

"Fine." James mumbled. "Fine then." He stalked over to the door and grabbed the handle.

"James what are you doing?" Remus asked, unsure.

"I am going to remind that Duke's daughter the terms of our arrangement. And that she had better start remembering them."

"She's not going to listen to you." Remus protested.

"Oh yes…she most definitely will." James informed him, pushing open the door and shutting it with a snap.

James stood near the door, arms crossed, watching Lily as she continued to stare the fallen mug and candlestick. "Did the mug say something to offend you?" He asked casually. Lily whirled around, a surprised look crossing her face.

"N-no." She stuttered, trying to control herself.

"Oh." James smirked and walked across the room to glanced down at the mug. "So you just felt like flinging it across the room, did you?"

Lily didn't answer as James bent and picked up the mug, fingering it.

"Well?" James inquired innocently.

"I…I…well…"Lily couldn't seem to find words to string together a retort with. James shook his head.

"The mug would probably be put to better use if you used it to eat and drink."

Lily glared at him, her cheeks flushing. "That food isn't good enough for even the rats on the ship to eat." She told him.

James chuckled. "You're right. But I find that if you let the bread sit in your mouth for a bit it does soften up, and that gruel over there, if you eat it fast enough, does taste mildly like some sort of soup, and the water…well it tastes just like water. Of course now that is all over the wall, and your bed I might add. How do you plan on drying it if you're just going to hole up here for the rest of your life?" Lily continued to glare at him and he walked up close, shoving the mug into her hands.

"Now eat." He ordered and began to walk out.

"You can't just order me to eat and expect me to do it." Lily challenged him.

James looked her over. "Um…yes actually I can. You signed the contract, in case you've forgotten while you've been starving yourself."

"I have not been starving myself." Lily defended.

"So what exactly do you call it when you don't eat for eight days straight."

"I wasn't hungry!" She yelled at him. Her stomach growled loudly, betraying her.

"Yes I'm sure that's the reason." James rolled his eyes at her.

"And besides." Lily continued, her hands tightening around the mug in anger. "Just because I signed a contract doesn't mean you get to order me to do whatever you want!"

James stepped up her, leering down from his tall stature. Lily blinked as his face was brought inches from hers.

"Yes I do. You bound yourself to this ship, this crew, and me, the Captain of the two previously stated parties." He whispered, his breath hot on her face, making a tingle run up her arms. "Whether you like it or not, you are now part of this crew, which means you listen to what I say. And I'm telling you to eat, so you don't starve yourself…I've heard it's a very painful way to die."

Lily tried to continue to glare at him. "You don't care whether I live or die."

"You're right about that." James relented. "But I think the crew would, see all pirates have a soft spot, and with this crew I'm finding it's you. If you starve yourself they'll blame me, and probably mutiny, and personally I like my head right where it is, attached the rest of me."

"You're a self centered-"

"Pirate." James finished, smirking at her. "Yes I know. Now, as much as I'd love to break the contract and get you out of my hair, I can't. So if you wouldn't mind eating…"

"Why don't you break the contract? It would make the two of us much happier." Lily pleaded.

James cocked an eye at her. "Reason one, if I let you go now, it would consist of you walking off the ship, and since we are in the middle of the ocean, that would only result in you treading water. The second reason is that it is against the Pirate Code to go back on a contract."

"Wait one minute." Lily started. "You break the laws of England every day and you won't break a rule in a precious Pirate Code?"

"Exactly. Now eat!" James ordered pointing at the tray. Lily blinked at it, then back up at him. "I don't want to feed you." James told her in a soft, daring voice. "So do it yourself."

"What if I don't?" Lily asked him.

"Then you'd be breaking the contract. And I know you'd hate to find out what happens to people who do that." James said bluntly.

Lily gave him a hateful look before walking up to the tray, taking the spoon, filling it with the gruel and putting it in her mouth. She swallowed with a pained look on her face and turned to James.

"Now that wasn't so hard was it, kid?" He asked, smirking. Lily made an angry noise at him as he turned quickly and left the room. Lily glanced at the gruel and spooned herself another helping.

-------------------------

James leaned against the closed door and let out a breath. Remus was standing there, waiting for him.

"Well?" The pirate asked James.

"She ate at least one spoonful." James told him, brushing off his shirt, and beginning to walk down the hallway. Remus fell into step.

"Really? How did you manage that?" Remus glanced at James' face and groaned. "You threatened her, didn't you?"

"No." James looked hurt. "I just…built up on the evilness of pirates."

"You did threaten her." Remus groaned again and James fought the urge to laugh.

"Relax mate. She's eating isn't she?"

"Yeah…but now she'll hate you."

"Trust me mate, the feeling is mutual."

"Why? She's a pretty girl." Remus informed him.

James ignored the question and grabbed a pail sitting at the steps leading to the main deck. He pushed it into Remus' arms. "She hasn't eaten in eight days." James said to Remus' questioning look. "Her stomach's going to punish her for it. Makes it so I don't have to." He smirked at Remus' expression.

"You weren't really going to punish her for not eating, where you?"

"Well, I could say it was going against orders, so then I would've."

"What were you planning on doing?" Remus asked, half afraid of the answer.

"I considered making her walk the plank. But then I realized we don't have one." James joked. They heard a sound from the room down the hall and James gave a wary look. "Sounds like her stomach started punishment early. Better go give her the bucket, mate." He disappeared up the stairs. Remus sighed and winced as he heard another noise that could've only meant Lily was being punished yet again.

* * *

Poor Lily...throwing up is no fun at all. Please review I'm begging...well not begging but it would be great if you guys would review. :) 


	3. Cook's Assistant

Sorry it took me a little bit to update, school's starting in about a week and guess who hasn't read her two books for AP English...yeah big oops. Anyway...

Wow I was taken aback by the amount of people that like this story. Thank you so much for reviewing:

**RavieGrint- **I love L/J pirate stories too, and I just couldn't find enough of them. lol. I'm glad you like it.

**greeneyedwickeddragon- **Don't worry I am definately planning on finishing this story, and I'm glad that you can see how different it is from any other L/J pirate story.

**Queenofrootloops-**Whew I'm glad I got Lily and James right, I love making them disagree with each other, that's my favorite part of writing it so far. It's more interesting for them not to get along right off the bat anyway.

**angelofmynightmare-** my apologies for my begging, now that you guys have reviewed I won't do it anymore lol. I'm really glad you like the plot.

**Ema- **Wow I'm deeply flattered that you think this is the best L/J pirate fic out there, let's hope you like the rest of it as much as the first two chapters. :)

**BrazilianPrincess**-I'm reallyglad that you loved it.

**:MzPotter:-**Yes Lily does chose to go, she's got spirit that one does, and lots of courage.

**noah-body-** Thanks for the review, and it is sort of a relief that my story is as original as I'd hoped it be. I haven't read all the L/J pirate stories out there so I was nervous someone might've done something similar

**amythestpony-**Thank you thanks you, is this update soon enough? I felt like it wasa bit late but it's finally up.

**and piggy396**-I will update if you review lol. Thanks for the review, I hope you enjoy the next chapter and review again :)

Thank you sooooo much for reiviewing and I'm glad you all like my story so far. Hopefully I won't flub it all up with this chapter :)

Disclaimer: I own no one you recognize, just the story that's being told.

* * *

Chapter 3-Cook's Assistant

Lily slowly walked up the creaking stairs to toward the main deck. The boat swayed and she gripped the rail of the steps.

Stupid boat, she thought to herself as she took another step.

Stupid food, her stomach made an accusing noise and Lily groaned. She's spent the past three days throwing up nearly everything she'd tried to put down. Remus always turned up and gave her a bucket to heave into, like he knew it was going to happen. And then there was Sirius who brought her the gruesome food, snickering at a hidden joke. And finally there was James, the horrible Captain who would come in after Sirius gave her the food. He sat in another chair he brought, watching her until she forced down all the food, and then he'd leave, she'd throw up, and Remus would be there with a pail.

Of course after she threw up she had to eat some bread that Remus gave her, since he told her, "When you're stomach gets used to the idea of keeping down food again, you'll stop throwing up." According to him, the bread was the little bit of food that her stomach was allowing her to keep down. Lily scoffed at him and then ate the bread. Once she'd told him she didn't want it, and that he could throw it off the ship for all she cared. And then Remus pointed out that James would just come here and bother her until she ate again.

"Besides," Remus had told her with a bright smile. "The sooner you get back to eating normally, the sooner James can stop coming and bothering you every morning, afternoon, and night." That idea alone forced Lily to eat the bread he gave her, and make an even greater effort to keep down the other food.

Now Lily was attempting to walk back up on the ship. It had been days and days since she'd been above deck, and added success that she hadn't thrown up her breakfast, forced her to try to take on the task of climbing out of the horrid hole James referred to as her room.

Lily gripped the rail tighter as she felt her legs shaking beneath her. In the days she'd spent lying around her legs seemed to have forgotten how to hold her up. She had nearly fallen twice already and didn't dream of falling down the stairs now. Lily forced herself to take the final stairs and shove open the door that lead to the bottom deck.

She winced and cracked her eyes shut as the sunlight hit her full force. She wanted to make a painful noise but bit her lips and told her body to get a grip. Slowly Lily opened her eyes and stared around the ship. Pirates were crossing in front of her as she took a couple of stumbling steps away from the door she'd come through. She turned slowly, gazing at the men who were climbing the masts and pulling at the sails, those who were running with ropes, or pulling things across the deck. She caught sight of Sirius and Remus on the landing with the wheel, Sirius was leaning casually on the wheel and Lily had a sudden hope that he wasn't steering. Remus was talking to him, ignoring everyone else. Sirius would nod every once in awhile, though Lily could see in his eyes he wasn't really listening. She turned quickly and found herself running in to a hard chest. Lily stumbled backward and looked up into the amused face of Captain James Potter.

"So….you decided to pop up and see how the lowly pirates were doing?" He joked. Lily felt her face turn pink as he smirked at her, hands on his hips, his sleeves of his loose shirt rolled up to his elbows. "You should watch where you're going though, Lillian Evans. If you don't you might walk off the edge of the boat." James started towards the landing where Sirius and Remus were.

Lily felt her anger boil in her stomach. "Oh and I'm sure you'd be very disappointed." She spat at him, running to catch up with his long stride, Her head barely topped his shoulder.

James chuckled. "Yes I do believe I'd be so hurt I'd have to throw some of your father's gold after you, for a proper burial and all." He turned amused eyes at her. "That's what you rich folk do, isn't it? Send gold down with the dead."

Lily fumed as she rushed to catch up to him, he was taking the steps now to the landing. "It is not! Don't you have any conscious at all?"

James cocked an eye at her. "I'm a pirate, what do you think?"  
"I think you need some manners. Besides, you bumped into me, not the other way around." Lily stood at the top of the stairs. James turned back to her, both Sirius and Remus watching curiously over his shoulder.

"I'm a pirate Lily, I don't have to have manners, or be polite, or rescue cats from trees." James told her. "And if you weren't walking around the main deck with your eyes unfocused, watching something in your dream world, you wouldn't be in people's way, or would at least have the sense to move."

Lily growled at him and James turned to Sirius. While the two began talking Remus cast Lily a look. "Lily….why did you come up on the main deck?"

James stopped talking to watch her. Lily raised her head and locked eyes with James. "I thought I'd better get some fresh air, after all the bottom of this ship is filled with fowl smells."

Sirius cocked an eye, fighting to hide a smile. "What kind of smells, dearest Lily?" He asked.

"Well frankly it smells like pirates, and that nasty gruel you call food." Lily snapped at James. Sirius laughed loudly until Remus slapped a hand across his mouth.

"If it bothers you that much, Miss Evans, then go clean it all up. Freshen it up so it smells like whatever the Duke's home smells like." James told her sharply. "Servants and vast amounts of money, is it?"

Lily narrowed her eyes and James shoved past her, descending the stairs and making his way across the deck. Lily tailed him. "Is that what you want me to do then, _Captain_?" She stressed his title and James let out an exhausted sigh and faced her.

"What are you babbling about now?"

"I'm going to be on this ship the rest of my life." Lily pointed out. "What's my role? What am I supposed to do every day? Sirius is first-mate, you're captain, that man Peter is lookout. What am I supposed to do?"

James made a face. "How about you-"

"James!" Remus had followed them, with Sirius in tow. Remus' sharp word stopped James' sentence.

"Relax, Remus, I was just going to suggest Lady Evans mops the deck for us." James told his friend innocently.

"I'm sure." Remus replied doubtfully.

"Mop?" Lily asked, unsure."

"Yes mop." James affirmed, smirking. "You take a mop, stick in a bucket of water, take it out and slap it on the deck, and move it around. It's called moping."

"I know what moping is!" Lily spat at him.

"And Peter already did it, James." Sirius interrupted.

James cast him a look. "Peter? He got off his lookout post to…mop?"

Sirius shrugged. "I saw him myself…he did it earlier today."

"Fine don't mop." James threw up his arms in surrender.

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Lily demanded.

James opened his mouth, then caught a look from Remus and shut it before taking a breath. A light blazed in his eyes and a smile crossed his lips. Lily felt like she wanted to take a step back, and Remus cast a concerned look at Sirius. "You don't like our food on this ship, do you Miss Evans?"

"N-no." Lily stammered, nervous.

"Then help the Cook cook our meals. You go find the cook, tell him how you think you can improve the food, and then you do it. Find yourself an apron, Miss Evans. You are now the cooks assistant. Pleased? Good." James started to go away and Lily stopped him again.

"Where do I find the Cook?" She asked, trying to grasp what her new job really was now.

"In the galleys." James informed her. Lily could sense the tension behind his voice.  
"Where are the galleys?" Lily prodded on.

"Go find them." James told her. "Think of it as a treasure hunt, you are on a pirate ship after all." He turned and walked off.

"Find it? Are you crazy!" Lily yelled at him. "How am I supposed to do that!"

"It's not that big of a ship." James waved at her and disappeared into his cabin and Lily let out a loud huff.

She turned and found Remus and Sirius walking away from her and she let out another protesting sound. Pirates were absolutely infuriating.

-----------

Lily spent the next half an hour opening every door below deck. She managed to meet many of the other pirates, all who smiled pleasantly, at least much more pleasantly than James had. Lily had also managed to walk into a mop bucket that was being used by a pirate named Marcus, whose name she discovered after he'd helped get her shoe out of the bucket. Not only that, Lily had discovered that her cabin wasn't the only one below deck. Two of them were Remus and Sirius', Then there was one large room filled with hammocks for the rest of the crew. Lily realized with immense gratitude that she was lucky enough to have a solid bed in her cabin. Marcus revealed to Lily that James' cabin was on the top deck, with what he called his "office". Typical that'd he'd call some rundown room with a desk an office, Lily scoffed to herself.

Finally she came to the final door in her search. She could smell something that reminded her of spice and could've sworn she'd heard someone singing behind it. Praying to herself that it wasn't some sort of bathing room, Lily opened the door.

Relief filled her body as she glanced around the galleys. It was another longer room. At one end there were two long wooden tables with benches, for dining she guessed. At the other end there was half a wall and smoke billowing out of one end. Bags were stacked along the walls and Lily read each one.

Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes. What a lovely variety, Lily laughed to herself. She stepped around the half wall and found herself staring at a rather large man.

Large might've been an understatement, Lily later decided. This man was at least two heads taller than her, taller than anyone she'd seen on the ship so far, including Remus, who was taller than both James and Sirius. The top of his head was bald, but Lily could see in the faint light, brownish hair tuffs near his ears. His body was wide, with broad shoulders and bear-like arms. He wore the same clothes as the other pirates, his boots were large and his shirt and breeches strained against his bulk. When Lily stepped into the room he turned and looked at her, his eyes dark and wide.

"Um….hello." Lily managed to squeak.

"Who are you?" The man asked, his voice was low and rough, as though he wasn't used to using it.

Are all pirates so rude? Lily wondered to herself. "Lily. Lillian Evans actually but you don't have to call me that." Lily added quickly.

"You're that little girl the Captain roped into a contract, ain't yah?" He asked her.

Lily felt herself flushing furiously. "Yes."

"What're you doing down here?" He demanded, rather loudly.

Lily took a step back. "Well….the Captain said to, to come down and, and well to help. Be a cook's assistant." She stammered.

"James told you to come down here?" The man said. Lily nodded, her arms shaking. To her immense surprise, and relief, the man's face broke out into a large, goofy smile. "About time, can you cook?"

"I…I've never really tried before." Lily admitted, slowly beginning to relax.

"Well, that's better than the rest of the boys on this ship."

"How is that?"

"Well, most of them have been in the kitchens, and are huge disasters."

"I'm probably not much better." Lily replied slowly.

"Can't be any worse than trying to eat a wooden spoon." The man replied, taping the table he was standing next to with a spoon.

Lily gaped at him. "Who would eat a spoon?"

The man ignored her question and stuck out his hand. "Name's Cook, Miss Lily."

Lily shook his hand, finding it disappeared in his the moment he wrapped his fingers around hers. "Cook? Is that your real name?"

"Nah, that's what everyone calls me. Why should I introduce myself with my real name if no one's going to call me by it. Waste of breath really."

Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing. "You really don't mind me helping?"

"Of course not. You're a pretty young girl, and you'll learn quick." He tossed her a white apron. Lily caught it and glanced around the room as she tied it around her waist. There was a large wooden table that was stacked with food, a fire pit where a pot was bubbling, as well as many more bags of food. Lily turned and found that the whole wall was covered in all different sorts of knives, spoons, and the like.

"So…what are you making."

"Gruel." Cook replied as she leaned against the table, looking into the pot he was stirring. "Only thing that gets made on this ship."

Lily took a breath. "Yes, I've noticed. Um, Cook?"

"Eh?"

"I was wondering…well why couldn't we try making something else?" Cook looked up at her sharply. "Not that we have to, if you don't want to, it was just a suggestion." Lily's voice faded off.

Cook blinked at her. "Something besides gruel? The boys wouldn't mind a change….have anything in mind?"

Lily opened her mouth, then sadly shook her head. "No."

Cook shrugged. "S'ok. We'll work on the gruel for now and then work on experimentin' later." Lily breathed a sigh of relief. She glanced at the bags of food.

"What kind of food do you put in there anyway?"

"Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes." Cook muttered.

"Is that all?" Lily asked helplessly.

"Sometimes carrots. Beets every now and then, but they go back awful quick. Sometimes spices…you know make it interesting." Cook replied, handing her a potato. Lily picked up a knife. Her eyes widened at it's size and she went ahead to attempt to cut the potato, all the while trying to not cut her finger.

Lily held back a moan. How were they supposed to make anything besides gruel with only potatoes, carrots, and a couple beats.

"Some flour here and there's bread o' course. Let's see….no fruit, goes bad too fast. There might be some meat, but I wouldn't trust it. Salt, guess that doesn't help much though. Sugar, oh and there's some leafy stuff." Cook continued.

Lily bit her lips. "No wonder you only eat gruel." Lily squeaked in alarm, realizing she'd spoken aloud. Cook just laughed.

"Aye. Tell yah what, Miss Lily." He leaned over to her. "We'll figure out what we can do to make the gruel taste less…gruely, and next time we go into port will get more interesting ingredients." Cook suggested.

Lily nodded, a smile creeping along her features, the first real smile since she'd come on the ship. "That sounds excellent."

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James sat up suddenly in his bed. He could feel a bead of sweat running off his face. Just a dream, he told himself over and over again. He ran his hand through his messy hair, throwing off his blanket and grabbing his boots. He wasn't going to be getting anymore sleep anytime soon, James realized. He grabbed walked out the door of his cabin, shutting it quietly. A brisk night wind cut across his bare shoulders and James involuntarily shivered, half wishing he'd thrown on a shirt before stepping into the night air.

He stepped out along the main deck, glancing at the wheel. Sirius was leaned against it, his eyes half-focusing. James snorted to himself. It was a good thing that there was nothing Sirius could run into in the open sea. James stepped up on the landing and patted his friend on the shoulder and Sirius looked up startled.

"I wus-sn't asleep." Sirius slurred to James, blinking his eyes quickly.

James chuckled. "Go on and get to bed, Sirius. I'll watch the wheel."

"Are you sure? I could probably-"

"Go on." James ordered, grabbing the wheel from his friend's limp arms. Sirius nodded, muttering something incoherent. He started walking away and James felt a thought dawn on him.

"Hey, Sirius, could I borrow your shirt?" He asked.

His pirate friend turned and smirked at him. "It smells like rum." He warned, grinning.

James wrinkled his nose. "Never mind. I'll just freeze." Sirius sent him a smirk and disappeared below deck. James looked out across the ship, out onto the water that turned black under the bright night sky. A mist rolled around the top of the cool water as the stars reflected in the clearness. James smiled at the peace of it all. His smile faded as a cold shiver ran up his spine. That same shiver that made his instincts flare up, the one that made him feel like he was being watched.

Quickly James glanced over his shoulder. The mist rolled around behind the boat, but that was all. He couldn't make out anything in the light from the stars and moon. James swallowed and tightened his hold on the wheel and forced himself to watch ahead of him.

"Just a feeling." He muttered to himself. "Just a feeling."

* * *

So...what do you think? Please tell me! Parts of this chapter sort of made me a bit nervous and so I'd like to know what you guys thought/think. 

I did actually sit down and plan out this whole story (which is a great accomplishment for me since I hardly ever do that), but the plan doesn't start until like chapter 4 or 5 so bear with me on this chapter and possibly the next one. Please review and tell me what you think.

Oh and I had absolutely no idea what kind of food might be on a ship, much less a pirate ship. If anyone has any ideas on what Cook and Lily could make that's better than gruel (ack nasty) I'm all ears. Thanks!


	4. Forbidden

Thank you soooooo much to all the reviewers. I about died of shock when I saw all the reviews (well not really, but it was close).

**witchgurl91**-Thank you and I'll try my best

**angelofmynightmare**-lol sadly I don't think Lily is going to snog James anytime soon. I did add hardtack into my story, Cook buys some. Why he didn't have any before beats the heck out of me...but we'll just run with it.

**koolkatkt123**-I'm so happy my story changed your mind on Lily and James pirate fics, they're really not all that bed (which would be why I'm writing one :) )

**sncaggie**- Thank you and don't worry it's okay

**Brazilian Princess**-Thank you. You'll find out later, James will eventually have another nightmare and this time I'll actually tell you want it is (in a later chapter promise). Lily is going to make what most of you reviewers have suggested actually. lol. And yes they'll get to a port, that's in this chapter.

**amythestpony**-Wow my mouth is watering just reading you review. That sounds amazingly good. Don't worry you're writing it wasn't for nothing. Lily will make some of that later on in the story...I've already planned for that yummy meal lol.

**eternal-charmer**-Thank you, and the ideas for food sound really good too.

**cerdinalz**- Yay rum! lol inside joke. Anyway i did watch Pirates of the Caribbean 1 and 2 trying to get ideas on what to eat.

**JPx3LE**-I never thought of James being like Jack...but that's the hugest compliment you could give me since I love Jack Sparrow! lol Thank you!

**RavieGrint**-The plan will unfold shortly, and yes pirates 1 and 2 did help me out a bit when I actually sat down and thought about it lol.

**Dee**-Thank you and I will try.

**Abarraine**-Thank you so much, I'm glad you can feel what Lily's going through, that makes me happy. I do now realize that Lily probably couldn't have made it that long, my mistake.

**delayedead**-Thank you so much!

**toria-b2**-I'm so happy it's different and still good.

**:MzPotter:**-Definately more to James than meets the eye lol

**piggy396**- I'm glad you liked that chapter. The next chapter is where my plan starts...I promise this time!

**MiSs WeStHoFf HeRsElF**-Thank you!

**baybe-of-da-beach**-Sorry I stopped there lol. Rum and potatoes sounds lovely too me.

**Tas**- Thank you, brownies or cookies as long as their chocolate lol

**Em3191**-Thank you, this is me updating soon!

**me**-Thank you, thank you, thank you :)

**Queenofrootloops**-Yay addicted, to a good thing hopefully. Thanks.

**person-leaving-a-review**- I had no idea about the fruit thing, I'm so glad you told me. Apparently the rest of my family knew about how it helped prevent scurvy so I felt a bit silly with my dad and brother. O well. lol

Whew thanks for all the reviews you guys. It helps a lot, and all the food you mentioned was a great help. Lily makes some in this chapter, and then in later chapters she'll be making some more, so your ideas will be used!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the story...and perhaps the word "potatoey" :)

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Chapter 4-Forbidden

Lily felt the ship jerk and she had to grab onto her bed to prevent herself from falling out. Rubbing her eyes she sat up as there was another shift in the boat. This time she tumbled out of the bed and landed hard on the floor.

"Ow!" Lily yelped, rubbing her back which was stinging from the impact. "What on earth was that!" She demanded loudly, standing up and wrenching open the door. A pirate was running past her.

"You! You, sir!" She called out to him, and he stopped, turning to look at her, his face confused. Did I honestly just call a pirate 'sir'? Lily scolded herself. She swallowed and tried to regain her composure. "Where are you running to?" She asked him. The man gave her a look and rushed off as though he hadn't understood what she'd said. Lily groaned and rushed up the stairs after him.

She paused on the deck and glanced around. The ship was stopped and she could make out the masts of other ships around them. Many of the pirates were leaping off the sides of the boat to land on wooden docks below. Lily walked up to the edge of the ship and stared around, seeing the town bursting out from the beach, noticing the ships fluttering their flags as the men rushed along the sandy shores.

Lily felt a warmth run into her chest. A town, finally after being on the pirate ship for a couple weeks, she might get to leave the horrid ship for a while and meet some civilized people. A scuffle on the beach caught her eye and Lily winced. Well, semi-civilized people perhaps.

She felt movement by her arm and turned to see a smiling Cook. "Hello, Cook." She greeted.

He nodded to her. "Miss Lily." Lily glanced out at the men again.

"The crew all gets to go ashore?" Lily asked.

Cook chuckled. "Aye. Most go into the pubs to gamble, wench, and drink. Some buy trinkets that they only end up loosing. They spend all the money they can." Lily felt her stomach tighten. My father's money, a voice bit out in the back of her mind. She forced herself to listen to what Cook was saying. "Then sometime early in the morning they all stumble back and we set sail. Never stay too long in one place, this ship." Cook told her.

Lily glanced at him. "What do you do when you go into town?"

"I look for all that scrumptious food that this crew loves so much." Cook laughed as Lily fought to hide her expression. "I get a drink or two and get someone to help me drag all the grub back to the ship." He winked at her. "That's your job this year, Miss Lily."

Lily's eyes widened and she grinned at him. "Really?"

"Of course. You'll come ashore with me and we'll find all sorts of interestin' food to make some lovely dish for these dirty pirates."

Lily laughed and nodded. "I'd love too. It'll get me off this horrid ship anyway." She added as Cook snickered at her response.

"You might want a cloak." He pointed out. Lily turned to go and stopped, finding Remus standing in front of her, a sorry look on his face.

He cleared his throat. "Lily." He began. Lily cocked her head, wondering what was wrong with him. "I'm afraid….that you can't….go into town." Remus finally managed to say. The look in his eyes was telling her that he knew she wanted to and was sorry for having to be the one to tell her she couldn't. How did he end up a pirate, Lily wondered to herself before her anger and frustration took over.

"What? Why not!" She demanded.

Remus shrugged. "Captain's orders. You're to stay on the ship with the rest of the crew that's remaining.

Lily swallowed. "Who else is staying?" She asked him warily.

Remus muttered something that sounded an awful lot like "James."

Lily felt her head spin. She was going to be left alone on the smelly ship, while all the other pirates got to go and relax. And not only that, she would be all alone with only the horrid Captain James Potter as company.

"But…but…but…"She stuttered. Remus shrugged at her, as though telling her it wouldn't matter what she said, she'd be staying. He walked past her and left the ship.

Cook was the last pirate to leave. "I'll bring us back some really nice food, Miss Lily. And then you and I will cook up a great feast." He winked at her and left Lily alone. Lily clutched the rail of the ship, watching the pirates' retreating figures, anger forcing her to grip the railing so tight she was half afraid it might break off.

Serve Captain Potter right, she thought to herself, to have the rail of his ship broken off.

There was a loud noise and Lily glanced to see James coming up from below deck where he must have been hiding out while the crew left. He was shaking his head as though trying to rid himself of some dark thought. Lily whirled and stomped up to him when he was halfway across the deck. Hands on her hips she looked him over, her breath coming fast. James raised an eyebrow, and amused expression filling his eyes.

"Miss Evans." He told her, nodding and walking past her.

"Captain Potter I-"

"You want to know why I won't let you go ashore." He finished for her, turning and facing her.

Lily stopped short, right before she ran head-long into him. "Well yes. I do."

"Well that's easy. I don't trust you." James turned to leave.

Lily straightened with shock and anger. She grabbed his arm and he turned back to her. "I beg your pardon?" She demanded. "You don't trust me? You're a pirate, the definition of untrustworthy!"

James tore his arm out of her hold with a look. "True. But that holds no context for this particular argument. I don't trust you, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I am a pirate or that _you_ are not." A thoughtful look crossed his face. "Well…maybe a little bit." He admitted.

Lily fumed at him. "Why don't you trust me? I'm just going to help Cook get food! That's my job, that's what you told me to do, to be the Cook's Assistant!"

"You want to know why I don't trust you?" He repeated. "Okay. You haven't even been on this ship for a month. And for a portion of it you were starving yourself, or throwing up what you ate."

"I don't see your point." Lily broke in.

"Then let me make it." James said loudly. "You hate this ship, you hate pirates, and don't bother to deny that." He added when Lily opened her mouth. She scowled at him. "You detest me, and don't worry I don't you like that much either so I don't feel wounded or anything." He smirked at her expression. "You have nothing holding you to this ship except a scrap of paper with your signature and blood on it. A contract, which you have repeatedly challenged."

"I don't have to listen to everything you say." Lily argued the point.

"Argh, don't you let anyone finish their sentences? Isn't that something that they teach you in your lady manners class?" James barked at her. Lily closed her mouth. "You don't like to follow the contract, and you don't like being here, no matter what persona you might try to put on. So, it falls to that I don't trust you to go out on the town, to be that free to do what you will, at this particular moment. You've given me no reason to think that you wouldn't jump at the chance to warn some passing soldier or try to find a way to get of the contract or escape."

"I gave my word." Lily reminded him hotly.

"I still don't trust you." He told her abruptly. "And until I do you don't leave this ship." He turned and walked off.

"That's not fair." She screamed at him.

"Life's not fair." James replied. "Haven't you learned that by now?"

Lily's face turned red with anger, her fists shook. "I'm sick of you!" She yelled. "I'm fed up with being on the same ship as you."

"Tough luck, Miss Flower." James replied leaning against the rail.

Lily let her breaths rack her body.

"You pointed out that I made you Cook's Assistant." James said slowly, grinning. "Go make something for me to eat." He ordered. Lily narrowed her eyes and James thought for a moment. "Wait never mind, you'd probably poison it."

Lily growled at him. "I hope some other pirate conquers your ship, and then runs you through with his sword!" She spat at him. She whirled on her heel and disappeared down below deck.

James' face had gone from teasing to serious. His eyes darted to the open water beyond the docks, then back to the door Lily had left through, mumbling under his breath. "Great idea James, let's tie the daughter of the Duke to a contract, never mind that she's a little red-headed devil woman. No let's just give up the Duke and the ransom and take on some whiny little girl." James stomped into his cabin, slamming the door with a resounding bang.

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Lily stomped down the stairs and through the halls of the lower body of the ship. Any door she found she closed loudly, and if she couldn't find one she contented herself with stomping down the hall.

How dare him! How dare that vile captain take away the small glimmer of freedom she might've glimpsed if she'd been allowed to go with Cook. Of course she wouldn't have run off, that would mean breaking her promise, and thought Lily hated the very ground, or boat, that James Potter walked on, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of her breaking the contract.

But to honestly say he didn't trust her! The nerve of that man, Lily thundered to herself as she stomped down a ladder leading to another hall. She was the daughter of the Duke, the niece of a King, and he called her untrustworthy! Maybe he should've looked in the mirror, that irritating man!

Lily found herself stopped in the middle of the galleys, looking at the wooden table that held some of the remaining potatoes that Cook hadn't used yesterday. A small sack of flour was settled next to the empty bowl, with small containers of spices lying around. Lily glimpsed a bit of jerky sitting on the table, as well as half of a carrot. A small smile formed on Lily's lips as she grabbed the apron off the table and tied it around her waist. She grabbed a knife off the wall as well as a utensil that vaguely reminded her of a mallet.

Lily grabbed the potatoes and wiped them off with a dirty town that was tied to the table. She rubbed them until the brown had slightly faded off and she tossed them all in the empty pot. Then she grabbed the mallet and began mashing each potato. Lily smiled wider as she imagined each potato as James Potter, smirking at her. She mashed and smashed each potato until it barely resembled anything but small white mounds. Lily felt her sweaty hands slip on the mallet and nearly dropped it on her foot. She set down the mallet and grabbed the knife, cutting up the carrots into thin slices and dumping them into the pot along with the potatoes. Lily took a spoon off the table and mixed around the carrots and potatoes, then started sprinkling all sorts of seasoning over the whiteness until it turned shades of red, dusted lightly with yellow and black. Lily glanced at a bottle that sat near the pot and she read the label: **Rum**. Lily smirked slightly and dumped part of the bottle into the mixture as well. Serve the pirates right if there was no more rum, Lily laughed to herself as she started stirring again.

Sweat dripped off Lily's brow as she mixed the potatoes much more than necessary. Every lump in the mix was an enemy. A smelly pirate she could stir out of existence. At least that's what Lily told herself. She finally stopped when her arms wouldn't go around the bowl another time. She sagged against the table, her arms felt like lead. Lily glanced at the dying fire and tossed another log onto it, sneezing as she did so. She glanced back at the mix of potatoes, carrots, and numerous spices. She wrinkled her nose at it, who knew if it was even good, it could be some new poison she'd concocted because she was mad.

Lily took the spoon that was filled with white, orange, red, yellow, and black. She took a deep breath and then stuck the spoon in her mouth, pulling off the mixture and swallowing it.

Lily's eyes widened in surprise. She had no idea exactly what taste she'd made, but she knew it tasted much better than any gruel she'd had on the ship. She reached down and took another bite, savoring the flavor in her mouth. She moaned softly and grinned to herself. Who said I couldn't cook? She asked herself smugly. I think I did pretty good.

Lily reached down for another helping and found that another hand had caught hers. Lily stared at the tan hand for a moment, her senses pulled at her, the rough feel of calluses against her smooth skin, the warmth of the hand and the pulse that ran from that hand to hers. Lily blinked and looked up as James took the spoon our of her hand. She was frozen to the spot as he spooned out a portion of the potatoes and took a mouthful. He watched her as he slowly chewed, though no chewing was needed, and swallowed. He licked his lips and set the spoon down again.

"It's not that bad. For a woman who made it while she was spitting fire." He informed her, his voice teasing.

Lily regained her voice. "I thought you'd be afraid I'd poison your food." She said slowly.

"Well you did take two bites first, I felt it was safe after that." James replied, the corner of his lips tugging into a smirk.

Lily watched him. "I'm glad you like it." She told him softly.

James' head snapped up like a dog does when it spots and unsuspecting cat. "You're being nice, and civil." He said slowly. Lily stared at him as he shook his head. "What do you want?"

"I have to want something to be nice?" She asked him. "I'm the only one of the two of us that has manners. I can be nice." She reminded him.

James didn't look convinced. "If you're being nice so I'll say I trust you and then will let you off the boat, then I'm sorry you're going to be sadly disappointed."

Lily flushed red as the anger and energy that she'd expelled by beating the potatoes came back full force. "You are absolutely…." She fought to find the words.

"I probably am." James agreed. "But whatever I am, Lily Evans, I assure you that you can easily match it action for action."

Lily grabbed the flour sack and threw it at him so fast that all James could do was stand with a shocked expression as white dust coated him. His dark hair was dusted gray, his face was white, and his dark pants were splattered with flour, as was the rest of his body.

James made a spluttering noise, trying to get the flour out of his mouth. He gave Lily a look of pure hatred and Lily glared back with equal intensity. James carefully dipped his hand into the potato mix Lily had made and came out with a fist full…..which his promptly smacked Lily in the face with.

Lily's eyes widened and her mouth dropped as the potatoes ran down her hair and face.

"A tip, Miss Evans." James leaned close so his nose brushed hers. "Never try to get one up on a pirate. You'll never succeed." He turned and started for the door. As he grabbed the handle Lily threw the last potato on the table at him, and smirked as it resounded loudly at hitting the back of his head.

James whirled and glared as Lily replied, "There's your meal, Captain Potter." James cursed at her and left the room, slamming the door with such force that one of the knives handing on the wall fell off. Lily bit her lips and absolutely refused to look at what the potatoes were doing to her red locks.

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Night had just begun to fall when Cook returned to the galleys. Lily had cleaned both herself and the kitchen up. The only evidence of the catastrophe was her wounded pride. He hit me with potatoes, Lily said to herself over and over again. And I threw a potato at him. The last thought made her smile at least for a moment. But her hair still felt starchy, even after she'd stuffed her head into a bucket she'd filled with water.

When Cook came in he wasn't alone. Four other burly men were with him, lugging bags and boxes, which they carefully placed throughout he galleys. Lily watched with awe, and when the men finally brought in a moving crate she walked over to Cook. He had nodded to the men and then turned to Lily.

"How was your day?" He asked her as pleasantly as he could.

"Horrible." Lily replied shortly. "What all did you buy, Cook?" She inquired.

Cook took the hint and began naming everything. "More potatoes of course, some flour, these hard crackers, hard tack they're called, carrots and jerky. Salt and sugar, some more spices and of course rum. I also brought some boxes of apples and even a couple other fruity things."

Lily gave him a questioning look. "I thought you said fruit will go bad."

"It will, but hopefully we'll eat it fast enough. Besides the man who sold it to me told me it was healthy. Can't be getting unhealthy when we're marauding, now can we?" Cook chuckled to her. Lily forced him a smile.

"Oh and I bought two chickens." He pointed at the moving box that was now making many strange noises.

"Oh dear." Lily mumbled as the crate scooted on the floor.

"I have no idea what to make with em' yet, but we'll figure something out, eh Miss Lily? Besides, they're cute little birds." Cook told her.

Does he realize he'll have to break their necks and defeather them? Lily wondered to herself, but she didn't voice her opinions out loud. Cook had made his way into the kitchen area and was grabbing some potatoes and cutting them in slices. He watched as Lily picked up a carrot and fiddled with it between her fingers.

"So…a rough day on the ship?" He asked.

"Yes." Lily replied. "I think if a day could possibly kill you, this one would've had me dead by the second word that the Captain said to me." She snapped.

Cook suppressed his chuckle at the look on Lily's face. "The Captain isn't as bad as all that." He said instead.

"Hardly. He's worse." Lily vented. "He wouldn't let me go to town with you because he claimed he couldn't trust me. Me, the Duke's daughter. What's not to trust!" She demanded. "And then he hit me with the potatoes I mashed. It got all over and my hair still feels potatoey." Lily growled, pulling at her hair. "Of course I did manage to hit him in the head with a potato…."

Cook barely managed to turn his laugh into a cough at the idea that his Captain had not only splattered Lily with potatoes, but that he'd also been pegged by one himself. "Miss Lily, I know the Captain's rough around the edges, he's young and his head hasn't really shrunk normal size yet. But he's really not that bad of a man. He could be a gentlemen if he'd ever try."

"I doubt that." Lily replied. "A gentlemen? That contract that we have is proof he's no gentlemen."

Cook watched her with interested eyes. "Didn't you suggest you trade places with your father?" He asked.

"Well…yes. But a gentlemen wouldn't have asked for me or my father!" Lily burst out.

"True. But James Potter is a pirate." Cook reminded her. "And loves his contracts. It helps him feel like he's in control of his life, even when it's spinning like a top out of control."

"Well he's got control of my life, if that's anything." Lily muttered.

"Yours isn't he only life he has, or contract he's signed." Cook informed her. "I've signed one. He saved my life and I pledged myself to his crew and his ship." Cook showed her a small scar on his finger where he must've cut his finger to sign the contract with his blood.

"Oh Cook." Lily said sympathetically. "I'm sorry."

"Why? I'm not. James being a pirate doesn't make him a bad man to pirates, to his crew. And after awhile." Cook continued, cutting up the potatoes. "Both you and him begin to forget about the contract and begin to survive on just being crew mates."

"I don't think I'll ever be able to forget about the contract." Lily looked quickly at Cook. "Would the Captain ever break his contract?"

Cook shook his head in an assured manner. "Never. He'll never break a contract." Lily looked disappointed and Cook rushed on, his voice assuring. "But like I said, Miss Lily. You'll get to a point where you eventually won't need that contract anymore. A point when you'll stay on this ship because you want to, and because you care about it's crew and it's captain."

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This wasn't a pointless chapter, even if Lily and James getting in that potato thowing scuffle was kind of silly. But I promise that this chapter is important! So please review! I'd appreciate it very much. Thanks you guys!


	5. No Good Pirate

Here's Chapter 5, I'm proud that I got this out sooner than I thought I could. Brownies for me! Thank you to all the people who reviewed, especially the new reviewers, always a wonderful thing.

**greeneyedwickeddragon**-Thank you, I didn't want to make a pirate story just action, because that wouldn't make any sense, but I understand that there hasn't been much in earlier chapters. That will change, don't you worry. They are pirates after all.

**JPx3LE**-Thank you! Thank you! I'm so glad that people do like my writing, if they didn't then it would be much harder to write, I think.

**Adrien**- lol I totally agree

**TigerLily18**-Yay you like it! lol

**Beatrix B.-**Thank you, and this is my soon update :)

**Marauderchick**-Thank you so much. Hopefully this update was worth the wait.

**Skullera**-Thank you, I'm glad that you enjoyed it that much to put it on your favorites. I'm also very complimented that you found my story worth reading.

**RavieGrint**-I'm glad you liked the potato fight, I think it would be rather hard to get cleaned up after one though. James will begin liking Lily soon.

**sncaggie**-Thank you. I've never been in a food fight (sadly) so I'm glad you liked my creation of one. :)

**piggy396**-Thank you again.

**angelofmynightmare**- lol. Originally the food fight was much bigger and he did end up dumping the bowl of potatoes on her head, but I figured if they got into a huge brawl sort of food fight, someone would have to break them up or they might never stop, and no one else was around to do that. I think I would've laughed too, off course a potato to the head would hurt...

**witchgirl91**-Thanks

**shortyroc**-Thank you so much, and I'll do my best to keep it up. I'm also very glad you like the plot and how I've written the story. Whatever I'm doing must be working. lol

**Tas**-Yay brownies!

**Abarraine**-lol thank you. I love AU stories as well, can't find enough of them.

**BrazilianPrincess**- lol, tough love really, throwing a potato at James. Thanks so much.

**:MzPotter:**-So true, so true. The Potentials of Potatoes. lol Glad you liked the chapter (and the potatoes).

**magicXheart**-Confession time: I didn't know at the time what the nightmare was actually about...I had somewhat of an idea, but originally the nightmare wasn't in there, so that particular nightmare I don't know what it was. But you will find out in this chapter what it most likely had in it, what part of it was. And you'll find out much more about James' nightmares and the cause of them later on. Promise.

**koolkatkt123**-I'm glad you didn't think it was pointless. And thank you for the praise.

**amythestpony**- You're making my mouth water with your reviews, and I'm becoming increasingly hungry (not that that's a bad thing. lol) I'm glad you liked the chapter as well.

**Roki**-Thank you very much.

**cosmopolitan**- I'm so glad you liked my fic, and I apologize for my summary, I stink at summarys to be honest. Thank you for your review. I hope you like the chapter.

Again thank you guys for all the reviews. They really do spur me in my writing and I do use the ideas you give (like the food ones :) ). I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: I own the storyline, but not the characters.

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Chapter 5-No Good Pirate

Lily bit her lip to keep from throwing up as Cook took the bloody chicken in his hands and plucked out the remaining feathers. Her hands braced herself on the table as she watched each feather fall helplessly to the floor. Lily blinked as Cook continued the process, and her mind began to wander.

They'd left port after the last pirate had straggled aboard, and had been on the sea for a couple days now. Since her last encounter with James, Lily had hardly seen the pirate Captain. If it was because he was too angry at her or too embarrassed at her having the last word, he didn't mention either. The only times she saw him he had barely nodded in her direction, keeping his words to himself, as well as his attention. In the days they'd been on sea the only word she could remember him uttering to her was a muttered, "Hello" when he'd come to talk to Cook about something.

Not that Lily minded. She told herself it was for the better, he wasn't ordering her around, and they weren't yelling back and forth, so overall it was a much better arrangement. Though she did notice both Remus and Sirius snickering at James every time they happened to be anywhere near one another, which was normally only when he came to get food from the galleys. Lily assumed that his friends had found out about the potato fight, and were teasing him endlessly about it, if the red ears were any indication.

The boat suddenly wrenched, shaking Lily from her thoughts, as they heard another cannon shot.

Fifteen, Lily thought to herself, who had been counting each cannon shot for the past half an hour. Her and Cook were still below deck in the galleys though the cannons were going off every so often and she could hear multiple yells from above deck. Lily knew nothing of what was going on, however, and Cook just kept saying it was nothing, just pirate business. He refused to let her leave the galleys and find out, and Lily was itching with impatience at not knowing. So Cook had suggested they experiment with the one of the chickens to see what they could make.

Lily had watched as Cook had broken the chicken's neck in one swift motion, then had begun plucking each feather. He'd cut the head and was now finishing the plucking job as Lily continued to watch. Another shot was fired, though this time it sounded like a gun instead of a cannon. Lily's ears perked and she saw Cook glance up from his work for a moment. "Must be getting close to the end." She heard him mutter softly before returning to his work.

Lily heaved a sigh as she felt the boat shudder again. What was going on? She wondered to herself. There was a stomping sound and Lily turned, finding one of the crew members stumbling into the galleys. Cook dropped the chicken into the pot that was waiting and glanced at the man.

The man sagged against the wall and almost sat down on the ground. "A little help, Cook?" He asked, nodding towards his arm that was dripping red. Lily's eyes widened and Cook came forward and helped the man to one of the tables and benches, sitting him down.

Lily followed, staring at the man. She didn't know who he was, but he looked barely any older than herself. "How-" She began but Cook interrupted her.

"Lily do you see that cupboard over there?" Lily glanced over and saw the small cupboard that was barely a foot long hanging on the wall. She nodded slowly. "In there's some bandages bring them here, and I also might need some water and a rag." He told her.

Numbly Lily brought him the bandages, water, and a rag she'd found. Cook rolled up the man's sleeve and Lily winced as she looked at the gash that ran down his arm. Cook glanced at the man.

"It's not that deep." He replied, as though it wasn't anything that needed attention right now and that the man could be doing something else instead, like helping with whatever was going on on deck.

"Yeah, but it's a pain when I need to fight. I can't hold a sword with the blood!" The man complained. Cook rolled his eyes and pushed a wet rag along the cut.

Lily continued to watch and the man began talking to Cook as though Lily wasn't even there. "It's a merchant ship, Cook. Easy pickings, not a real fighting men among them, though they put up a fight worthy of pirates." Cook was giving him a look that was telling the man to be quiet. Lily watched him with interest, as the man was oblivious to Cook's look.

"A couple kids and women on there as well." The man said. Lily's heart pounded in her chest and the mans' next words, "There's even some chickens for you cook, to make us some lovely new food." were lost on her. Lily backed up until she was to the door. Cook pressed hard on the man's arm and he yelped loudly.

"What did you do that for, Cook?" The man exclaimed as Lily ran out the door and up the hall. She tossed her apron on the ground as she came to the steps leading up to the deck.

Her breath was coming fast. Women and children on that ship, and the pirates were attacking them. What if James tied more girls to a contract, or tried to hurt the children. He wouldn't dare? But he was a pirate, wasn't he? Lily took the steps quickly and pushed the door open as she emerged on the deck.

Smoke was filling the air, and she saw some men wandering around on the ship, she heard some shouts to her left and fought through some men and gripped the rail, watching the ship that was barely feet away. People were all over the ship's main deck, some were pirates lugging looted goods across the area between the ships, others were people Lily assumed to be merchants, cowering to the pirates. Fear filled their face and Lily felt her heart go out to them. Her eyes scanned the sides and saw boarding planks between the two ships, and pirates crossing them.

She caught sight of Sirius on the other side grabbing a box and tossing it to one of the other pirates. Remus was glancing along the ship, making sure no one was doing anything he didn't approve. And then Lily spotted James, the only aggressively moving figure on the other ship. His sword was out and he was forcing another man away from him. His blade hooked the other man's and he tossed the other sword aside. The man stumbled and fell as James reached for his gun at his belt. As the other man fell Lily caught a look at his face. It wasn't any man, it was a boy. A young boy. Lily's breath caught as she saw James pulling out the gun.

No! Lily thought to herself. He can't! Without stopping to think, she shoved past some more pirates and found herself on an abandoned boarding plank. She looked down and found that it was barely four steps to the other ship. Lily swallowed and stepped on the plank. It shook under her weight and she quickly stepped across it, careful to not put too much weight on either foot, or walk close to the side. She refused to look at her feet, for fear of seeing how far up she was. AS she neared the other ship, Lily tripped and nearly fell. But she was so close to the other ship that Remus managed to catch her arm and yank her to the other side before she fell. She looked up and saw the boy lying on the ground near the side, James standing over him pointing a gun at his chest.

Remus had spotted Lily crossing the plank. He didn't know why she was crossing the plank, and at the moment he could've cared less. He'd gotten to the plank just as she'd fallen, and had grabbed her, a little tighter and harder than he would've normally. He yanked Lily so she was standing beside him on the deck and she wrenched her arms out of his grip, staring at something else.

Remus followed her gaze and his stomach sank a little as he found what she was staring at. James with the gun, and the boy about to be shot. "Lily- " Remus began, but at that moment James had cocked the gun and Lily had rushed forward leaving Remus standing there like a rock. Remus groaned and tried to follow her.

When James had cocked the gun, a thundering silence had pounded in Lily's ears.. She stepped forward to him and yelled out to him. "No!"

James was so startled at hearing Lily, and seeing her stalking up to him, that he nearly pulled the trigger right there. He caught himself in time and managed to just stand there like a stone as Lily stopped next to him.

"What are you doing?" She demanded. Who does she think she is, James wondered to himself. Coming across the planks while we're looting a ship! She could get herself shot!

"I'm pillaging. I'm a pirate, it's what I do." He replied bluntly. "I think the better question Miss Evans is what are you doing on this ship? I told you not to leave _the Marauder_!"

Lily ignored him. "You were going to kill him." She pointed at the young boy. Now as she got a closer look she realized that he might've only been 13 or so. His hair was long and greasy as though he hadn't had a good bath in a long time, and his eyes were black tunnels that were wide, watching Lily and James.

"What does it matter to you?"

"You can't kill him. He's just a boy." Lily demanded. The pirates and the merchants were watching them and James was feeling his anger rise in his face.

"He fought against me like a man, so I'll be damned if I'm not going to treat him like one!" James snapped at her.

"What has he ever done to you besides protect what he cares about?"

"I hardly think this ship is worth fighting for." James told her, earning snickers from the rest of the pirates.

"You have no right to hurt him, or to take from these people or to kill any of them!" Lily yelled at him. "Just like you didn't have the right to come on our ship and take our gold and try and make my father come with you!"

James' eyes narrowed into slits as his face glowered at her. "I am a pirate, Miss Evans. And I took over this ship. Those two facts alone gives me the right to kill who I want, steal what I want, and put this ship to the bottom of the bloody ocean if I please." He steadied the gun at the boy.

Lily's face turned red. "You….you…you…" No word seemed right. Heartless wasn't strong enough, evil wasn't even close, idiot was silly. "You….you bastard!" She screeched at him.

James froze and stared at her, his eyes more surprised than before. Remus started from his position and Sirius nearly dropped a box on his foot.

"Your life is worth no more than his." Lily continued. "If anything it's worse less. You cold, vile, pirate!" Remus took her arm and pulled her toward one of the planks, helping her across and away from James.

Sirius stepped up to James, staring after Lily. "Where did she learn that?" He asked James, who was now staring down at his gun and at the boy, with a white face. Lily's words were echoing loudly in his head, and his mouth was strangely dry. The boy stared up at him, half surprised. James swallowed, but the gun wouldn't steady. Damn her, James thought to himself.

"What's your name?" James suddenly asked the boy.

The boy blinked, as though unsure of how to answer. "S-Severus." He stuttered.

James stared at him for another moment and then slowly uncocked the gun. "Don't let me catch you on any ship that comes after me. Or I'll just shoot you then and there. You got that?" The boy nodded quickly. James walked quickly past him, up onto a plank and across to his ship. Sirius followed, feeling very lost and confused. "James." He started to say, but stopped as the Captain whirled and yelled out to the crew.

"Pull in those planks, get this ship out of here!"

"What if we didn't get all the gold?" A pirate asked him. James' look sent him scurrying away.

"Right now I don't give a damn about that gold." James whispered through clenched teeth.

Sirius moved his weight from foot to foot, glancing at his friend as the rest of the crew made ready to leave the merchant ship in their waves. He was dying to ask James why he hadn't killed the boy, was dying to ask why he had let Lily get to him. But one look at James told him that that's what he would be doing if he did ask, dying. He swallowed and contented himself with watching as _the Marauder _left the merchant ship and sped off over the sea.

Sirius started as James stuffed the gun in his belt and, taking long loud steps, strode angrily over to the door that led below deck. Remus was standing near it and James paused in front of him.

"Is she in her room?" James demanded. Remus nodded and James threw open the door and disappeared below deck before Remus could utter another sound.

Sirius came up beside Remus, staring down into the dark stairs. "He didn't kill him." Sirius whispered.

Remus' head shot up like a dog's. "What!"

"He left the boy alive. I don't know why, but he did." Sirius repeated.

Remus, his head spinning, turned his gaze back to staring at nothing.

----------------------------

James footsteps echoed in the barren hallway as he walked toward Lily's cabin. All the other pirates were on the main deck with the loot they'd just taken, and any that might've been down there, instantly fled to the higher deck, away from their Captain who looked ready to spit fire.

James grabbed the handle to the door and shoved the door open. It banged against the inside wall and James stood in the doorway, his shoulders squared and his chest heaving with unsurpassed anger. Lily stood in the middle of the cabin, her green eyes were smoking at him and she looked just about as angry at him as he was at her.

"What gave you the idea that it was your duty to come across that ship? You have no right to question what I do as a pirate! And I told you to stay on this ship!" James growled at her.

Lily ignored his every word. "You are a heartless coward." She returned angrily. "You kill people for pleasure, because you feel like it. You don't have any morals at all."

"I'm a pirate!" James roared at her. "What is it going to take to get that through your overly thick head? I. Am. A. Pirate. I don't have to have the morals that the Duke does. Besides," James continued, an evil look crossing his face. "I must have some morals, because if I didn't I'd be throwing you overboard right now!"

"That's not morals, that's personal interest." Lily spat at him.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" James demanded.

"I'm a woman, you're a man. If you can't figure that out then you're not as smart as you think you are." Lily replied hotly.

James snorted. "Don't flatter yourself with that reasoning." He told her spitefully as Lily flushed red. "The fact that you're a girl, has nothing to do with why I won't throw you overboard. And note I said girl, not woman."

"You egotistical pig!" Lily thundered at him. "It's because of you that children have nightmares about pirates coming to take them away. It's because of you that children like that young boy, shake with fear every time they step on a ship!"

"I do not cause those nightmares!" James defended himself. "Stories that parents tell their children about how evil pirates are, and about how they'll steal you away if you don't do as your parents say is what brings on those nightmares."

"You have no idea how they suffer because of pirates. How scared they could be, and you'd just kill them!" Lily argued back. "You have no idea how those nightmares could torment them."

While the yelling match had gone on James had taken advancing steps towards Lily. Now he was inches from her and his face was the color of the setting sun, his eyes were darting with anger, his fists clenched at his side. Lily looked up at him, her eyes sparking, her face set in a angry pattern.

"I have no idea?" James asked her. "You have no idea, Miss Evans. My nightmares are worse than any child dreaming of pirates. My nightmares haunt my nights and my days because they are filled with a _real_ pirate. The pirates that those children try to dream up based on those dark stories don't even begin to compare to him. He's real, so very real, and deadly. You call me heartless, this man has never had a warm, beating pulse his entire existence. The fear that those children feel doesn't match the fear that monster brings every day." The volume of his voice had steadily grown until he was nearly shouting. Lily backed up until she hit the wall, but she wasn't done either.

"Fear? You live on fear." She replied. "How could you know what it's like?"

James fist connected with the wall, a foot from Lily's head. She winced and saw his breath coming fast. "Don't you dare." He told her. "Don't you dare tell me I don't know what fear is. You're not the one waking up in a cold sweat every damn night!" He roared at her.

A part of Lily twisted at the anguish in his voice. He's telling the truth, that part of her realized, he really does live these horrible nightmares, wakes up shaking like a scared child. But the stubborn part of Lily that refused to believe that James Potter, a pirate, could possibly feel any human feelings after killing a child, took over. "You deserve it, after what you do to the people on other ships. After what you did to me and my father."

A look crossed James' eyes that made Lily almost want to retract her words. But the look was replaced again with anger. "You are a sorry little girl." He told her bluntly and Lily's eyes widened. "You blame me for you being on this ship, and maybe you do that so that your own guilt at getting yourself into this mess doesn't hurt so much. But I am not going to take the blame for you. You suggested that you come on this ship, and you signed the contract and sealed it in your blood. If you don't accept that in the very near future than you're going to have a heck of a time on this ship." He told her. He turned on his heel and strode toward the door. James paused and looked at her. "From now on, stay on this ship and if I ever catch you on one of my ships that I'm pillaging, you won't want to know what I'll do to you."

"Is that a threat, Captain Potter?" Lily asked, her voice cold.

James quirked an eyebrow at her. "If you can't figure that out then you're not as smart as you think you are, Miss Evans." He slammed the door shut and Lily felt the room rock.

She swallowed hot tears as James' words reverberated in her mind. She slid on the wall and sat down hard on the floor, holding her knees.

He's right you know, the sensible side of her said. You did make the suggestion, and you did sign the contract.

He was going to take my father, what choice did I have, the other side of her demanded. It's his fault. And why are you on his side?

I'm not on his side. But I do think he's right about one thing. You need to accept your actions and learn to live with it, whether it was a mistake or not. Who knows, it might not turn out to be a mistake after all. The sensible side amended.

Lily snorted loudly, brushing her eyes to prevent tears from streaming out of them. I think you're being silly. She told her other side. Though slowly a weight began to press down on her shoulders. The guilt was back, and it was shoving itself in her face.

Your decision, your fault. It said, and Lily's head sagged against her knees, listening to the words that continued to echo in her ears.

------------------------

The next couple days went by with Lily staying in her cabin, or in the galleys. The only one who really saw her was Cook. James' anger slowly began to fade away, but it couldn't go away fast enough for either Remus or Sirius, who spent the most time with him. James and Lily had one thing in common, however, both of them hardly spoke to anyone else. James' radiated anger and only spoke when he had to give an order, Lily' emotion was like a cloud hanging over her, her eyes deep in thought, only speaking when she had to ask Cook a question. They didn't meet at all, whether it was in the galleys or on the deck.

Sirius was leaning against the wheel when Remus walked up, his face clouded over. Sirius looked at him with concern. "Oh please _please_ tell me you're not going into a mood like James, or Lily for that matter. Every time I'm around either of them I feel like I've just walked into an ice chest." Sirius said slowly.

Remus forced a smile. "I'm just wondering what the two of them said to one another to make them both retract like this."

Sirius shrugged. "You could ask James, though I doubt he'd tell you. The most I've gotten him to say to me is, 'Sirius get your ass to the wheel, it's your shift', which really isn't that promising."

Remus groaned and set his hand against the rail. "It must've hurt, whatever she said. And whatever he said. I don't think I've seen two people more miserable."

"That's because you've never saw yourself after-"

"Okay Sirius I get it." Remus cut him off abruptly, sending him a look that told Sirius that trips down memory lane were closed for the remainder of the conversation. Sirius looked slightly apologetic.

"Sorry mate." Sirius replied. He blew out a breath that was tainted with the faint hint of rum. "I hope James gets back to his old self soon. I'm not going to be able to stand the tension on this ship much longer if he doesn't."

"He will soon, after he stews for awhile. You've got to admit he was probably terrified when he realized Lily was on that ship, and the fact that his head got so twisted that he didn't kill that boy, he must have a huge headache from trying to figure all of it out. Whatever Lily said must have really dug itself deep."

Sirius gave another sigh, half listening to what Remus said. When Remus began talking so seriously and bringing up deep thoughts, Sirius usually ignored him. Thinking deep thoughts just wasn't what he wanted to do after spending the day on the ocean. Instead Sirius perked up his head and stared off in the direction they were sailing, his eyes squinting.

"Are those storm clouds?" He wondered aloud.

------------------------------

James walked along the empty deck. Darkness surrounded the ship, and thick black clouds hung in the air, rumbling with thunder, bursting with rain. Every so often they would flash, the lightning dancing around between the clouds. James swallowed and his eyes traveled around the deck. No one was on the main deck, nor on the landing. Asleep probably, James thought to himself. His eyes turned to the gray waters that were smashing against the side of the ship. He blinked at the horizon as a shape began to move toward him. His eyes focused and James clung to the rail as the shape got larger and clearer.

A black ship, with sails dark like the clouds, fading in and out of the mist. Every blink of his eyes brought it closer. James' arms and legs began to shake, a heavy weight pressing against his chest as he stumbled backward. And the ship continued to come. Closer and closer, baring down on him. James tripped and turned away from the ship, and froze.

His eyes roamed the man in front of him to his dark clothes and hair, to his pale skin and death-filled eyes. James' mouth refused to work as the man advanced on him, taking slow deliberate steps. James' feet moved him backward, catching on the wood of the ship. The man took out his sword and it's silver blade glinted. James reached for his own sword and found he didn't have it, nor did he have a gun or dagger. He was weaponless.

The man came at him and James jumped away from him. The man's icy hands grabbed James and threw him against the rail. James groaned as his rips smashed against the wood railing. The man held him down, his breath chilled James face as he whispered words James couldn't understand. He struggled to get break the man's grip, but to no avail. The man, stronger than he first appeared, threw James across the floor of the deck. James landed in a heap. He pushed himself off his chest, turning to stare up at the man who had followed his prey and now stood over James. His sword came up, and then swished down toward him. James flinched away, shutting eyes against the blow…..

And landed hard on the floor of his cabin. James sat up his sheets tangled around him, his bare chest heaving. His heart beat unevenly against his rib cage, shaking his body with ever beat. Sweat dripped off of his body as though he'd just come out of a lake. James licked his dry lips, trying to pull in all his thoughts.

That dream. It was ten times worse than it had been the night before, and even more real than any other time. He could almost feel the sword cutting into him. James bent over, his head in his hands, balling his hair in his fists.

Nightmares, how he hated the things. And how much worse they were when they could actually come true, when they weren't really dreams at all. James continued to sit still, fully awake now, his shoulders shaking.

A loud bang almost caused him to completely lose his mind. James stared wide-eyed at Sirius, who was gripping the door and dripping on the floor.

"James…..horrible…..storm…we….need….your….help…the ships going to be….torn apart..." Sirius gasped out.

James tore himself out of his covers and staggered to the window, pressing his hands against the cold window. His eyes watched as the gray waves rose and fell, the sky flashed yellow and black as rain splashed into the thrashing ocean. James swallowed hard and whispered, half to himself, "Just a dream. Damn."

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Well? What do you think? Lily going over to the other ship is probably not realistic...but this is fiction so you guys will get over it :) I left off at sort of a cliffhanger, but I'm working on the next chapter so you hopefully won't have to wait for long. :) I hope the fight wasn't too over the top, and I'm sorry if some of the language was offensive or anything (I don't think it was or could've been but I could be wrong). They are pirates so they don't have exactly clean mouths. Um...well you know what to do...press the button and review :) Thanks guys (and girls)!


	6. Hell Hath No Fury Like An Ocean's Storm

I'm sooooooooo sorry for the long wait. AP classes are absolute murder with homework, and I've had essays to do and tests to study for. So my deepest apologies for not updating for two weeks. My plan orignally was to update every weekend, which is basically the only down-time I have. And I'm going to continue to try and do that, but forgive me if there's more than a week between each update.

So many reviews! Wow it makes me so happy to hear all of you are loving this story. It's my favorite story so far that I've written besides my orignal series I've been working on for the past couple years. I love it so much and I'm trying to make is perfect (well as perfect as I can lol)

**B razilianPrincess**-James and Lily will get together...eventually. You'll just have to wait a bit and find out.

**sncaggie**-I'm so glad to hear that. Hopefully this chapter is believable as well. Sometimes my imagination gets the better of me.

**Kluvhp**-lol Thank you, I'm glad you like it so much. Pirates may be black-hearted, but they don't go back on their word, or their contracts. Lily's pretty much stuck in that contract right now.

**JPx3LE**-Thank you very very much!

**Queenofrootloops**- If you can't think of how they'll end up together then I guess I'm doing something right. I want it to be sort of unexpected, like you won't be able to guess right away the ending. Since if you guess the ending it's no fun reading the story. :) :)

**Andrien**-You might see more nightmares in the future...James isn't getting rid of them anytime soon.

**anogeelings**-lol I totally agree with the equation. Thank you so much.

**eternal-charmer**-Thank you. Oh that sounds soo yummy...I must update lol!

**magicXheart**- James has an excuse for being the way he is, I've written some of the future chapters and he tells Lily exactly why. But he's not really evil, he didn't actually kill the boy (thankfully) and hopefully this chapter will make him a bit less evil to you. More nightmare's may come soon...

**:MzPotter:**-Yay I'm glad someone got that! Origniall the boy didn't have a name but I thought that Snape would fit in rather nicely. They will stop fighting eventually...I promise!

**messyblackhair66**-I'm glad you also got the comparison. I'm so happy since I'm kinda one of those people who loves symbolism in my stories, so I thought that Severus thing was kind of right. I'm so glad you like the story. :)

**opalshine**-I'm sorry it took me so long to update...but here it is, I hope it lives up to your wait. Thank you so much.

**RavieGrint**-Thank you so much...the nightmare scene was fun to write...poor James though getting no sleep.

**anythestpony**-lol yes "tearing each other apart" may be a good way of putting it.

**lilylele**-Thank you so much

**Skullera**-If you are on your toes about this story then I'm floating with glee lol Thank you.

**bananas**-Thank you thank you

**koolkatkt123**-Thanks, this is my "soon" update :)

**potterchik**-Thank you very much...I'm glad you like the plot.

**Anna**-I'm glad my story is exciting enough for you, thank you very much for the compliments. Forgive me for the spelling/ grammer errors. I do spell check it and read over it, but I"m not great in grammer, nor am I a strong speller. So I'll work on that for this story. :) lol no James didn't punch Lily...I couldn't make him ever do that, no matter how much of a pirate he is.

**Jenny**-Thanks loads, and I apologize for the wait. :)

**Abarraine**-Thank you very much.

**Livie-**Here's some more for you. Thanks for reviewing.

**Livia90301**-Thanks a bunch. Don't worry I plan to keep writing for awhile lol

**Delilah Evans**-Thank you, and sorry but I can't tell you what's going to happen next...you'll just have to read and find out :)

**Animals are my LIFE- **Here it is, thanks for the review.

**witchgurl91**-Thanks you.

**cosmopolitan**-I'm glad you love the story, I'm sorry that it took me awhile to pudate, but I"m going to be doing it sooner next time.

Thank you all so much for your reviews. They all spur me to write and update. :) If I forgot anyone or spelled your name wrong please tell me.

Here's the next chapter I hope you all enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the character's you recognize, only the storyline and the words they say.

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Chapter 6- Hell Hath No Fury Like An Ocean's Storm

Lily had been struggling to sleep peacefully. It was a job she'd been attempting to accomplish for days, but no matter how many sheep she counted, or how comfortable she made herself, it was impossible for her to sleep calmly through the night.

So it wasn't a huge surprise that she had been forced into wakefulness in the dark cabin. Lily didn't think anything of it. Just my thoughts interrupting my dreams again, Lily concluded to herself, sitting up and pushing red hair out of her face. Lily sighed and leaned against the wall that her bed was up against. Why couldn't she get to sleep? She'd accepted the guilt the day James had shoved it in her face.

The moment James entered her mind Lily felt her stomach tighten. Tears threatened to fall, their last conversation had continued to play over and over in her mind. It never left. Perhaps that was the reason for the lack of sleep.

Lily pushed the blanket off of her and stood up on the rocking cabin floor. She brushed at the wrinkles of the dress. The same dress she had been wearing since she had come aboard the Marauder. Dirty and ripped at the edges. Lily shifted on her feet, feeling uneasy and unclean all at once. What I wouldn't give for another pair of clothes, she thought to herself.

The boat shifted suddenly and Lily stumbled against the movement. Loud sounds resembling yells, reached her ears and she noticed that the cabin was not at all silent. The wind was echoing in the small space, the sounds of rain created a thumping beat on the walls. Lily grabbed her boots, stuffing her feet into them as she grabbed the door handle. She pushed open the door and started up the hall.

The boat continued to lurch, and Lily fell against the wall. There was a rumble from above her and Lily half wondered if they were taking to another ship. Impossible, she thought to herself. It's the middle of the night, Potter can't be that much of an idiot…can he?

Lily fell at the bottom of the stairs. The door leading to the main deck swung and slammed, letting the noises from the outside pierce Lily's ears. Light flashed from beyond the door and Lily heard more yelling.

Scrambling up, Lily grabbed the rail, the shaking of the boat causing her to sway unsteadily on the stairs. She ascended them slowly, clinging to the rail as though it was her safety net, careful to not catch her feet on the steps and fall again.

Finally she grabbed the door, shoving into it with her shoulder when it failed to move at her touch. The door released under her weight and Lily fell hard on the deck of the Marauder. Pushing herself up she noticed the torrent of rail falling everywhere, and felt the wind whip around her body. Feet ran by her and Lily tried to stand on the rocking deck. The wind cut at her face, whipping her dress around her and Lily shut her eyes against the harsh rain falling against her face.

Someone rushed by her, clipping her shoulder and Lily spun, stumbling into the rail. She glanced down and saw crashing gray waves and pushed herself away from the edge, clinging tight to the rail as though afraid the wind would pick her up and throw her to the merciless sea. Lily tried to see through the grayness that had surrounded her and boat. She spotted the door to the bottom deck. It looked so far away to her and fear gripped her heart. How would she get back?

James struggled against the rope he was pulling tight to tie to the mast. His hands were ice, the rain and wind freezing them, all elements working against him as he tried to secure his ship. Sirius was trying to handle the wheel, holding it as steady as he could.

"Hang in there, Sirius!" James shouted to him. By Sirius' reaction, the he hadn't heard his Captain's encouraging words. A wave rose up out of the water and crashed along the deck, sending James into the mast. He winced with impact and spluttered water.

A feminine sound reached his ears. James' sharp eyes took in Lily, holding the rail tight, drenched with rain, and having just been soaked by a wave. James' anger erupted in his stomach. What is she doing up here? James wondered to himself.

"Miss Evans!" He roared. "Get below deck!" She seemed confused, as though she'd heard something but couldn't distinguish what it was.

"Miss Evans!" James repeated, as loud as his voice could go. The wind roared in his ears, muting his words. "Damn!" James growled, fighting the wind and rain to stumble to the rail. He was feet away from Lily and pulled himself along the rail.

"Miss Evans!" He bellowed. Lily glanced at him, her eyes wide with fear. Of him or the storm, James thought curiously. "Get below deck! This storm is a killer!"

"What!" Lily yelled back.

James groaned in frustration. "The storm. It'll kill you, wash you away if you stay up here. Get below deck!" Lily looked like she heard him, but there was still confusion.

"I can't…really...hear you.!" She tried to shout to him.

He opened his mouth, then stopped, his body freezing. James sensed, rather than saw the ocean rise up against his ship. His hazel eyes turned and saw the gray pillar loom out of the sea as the wind pulled it from the depths. The large wave overshadowed the ship and James felt all the blood run from his body. Lily's gasp was lost in the sound of the storm. The wave paused, as if contemplating its' next move, then crashed upon the deck, sweeping it with gallons of hard, fast moving water. As white flecks tore toward them, James reached and grabbed Lily's arm before the wave hit them.

James felt the water crash into him, felt his feel leave the deck, felt the water rushing past him. The force of the impact broke Lily's arm out of his grasp. James yelled out and then found himself surrounded in icy nothingness. His lungs exploded and he flailed his arms, bringing himself above the surface of the water, his head breaking through, gasping for air.

Lily had been frozen to where she'd been standing when the wave had attacked them. She had felt the warmth of James' hand grabbing her arm just before the cold shoved her from her frozen spot into the air, and then toward the sea. The wave bringing it's prizes back to it's home in the black ocean. Lily had felt the warmth slip away as James' hand had released hers, and then she felt herself falling endlessly, coldness whipping around her, shoving her into the direction the water wanted her to be taken. She struggled and for a moment found herself above the water's surface. Gasping for air and flailing her arms around her she yelled out for help. The storm punished her, sending waves crashing on top of her. Lily fell below the water, slowly slipping down into the depths of the ocean.

James turned his head. The waves continued to rise and fall, distorting his vision. "Miss Evans!" He bellowed into the wind. He spun around in the water. No, no, no! His mind shouted at him when he saw to red hair, no green eyes. "Miss Evans!" He tried again. Nothing. Then, movement out to his right. It was red, and bobbed for a moment in the water before disappearing into the murky depths. James took a large breath and dove back underneath the ocean.

The monster that was the sea tore at his clothes, ripping them and branding his skin with the salty water. Where are you! James yelled out in his mind, his eyes burning from looking under the water. Then he saw the red again. He pumped toward her. Please be her, James thought to himself, hoping he wasn't swimming towards an unknown creature of the deep.

The red pooled out around her head and her eyes had shut. Her skin was even paler under the water as James grabbed her around the waist and tugged her back to the surface.

When they broke through both began gasping for air. With one hand James fought the water, keeping his head mostly above the surface. Lily's hands gripped his shirt and James tottered underneath the waves for a moment before pulling his head back above the surface.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, perhaps more harshly then he'd intended. Lily spluttered as a wave shoved them in the direction of the ship. James glanced at it. They were close enough to it that Sirius could throw them a life-line, if he saw them, and if he'd seen them fall. Too many ifs, James decided grudgingly.

"Are you daft?" He asked her, spluttering against another wave. "Coming up in the middle of storm?"

Lily didn't argue back and James bit his tongue, trying to hold in his emotions. A wave sloshed them and they dipped under the water. James forced them back to the surface, gasping for air and feeling his arms and legs tiring. Anger was edging away to fear, a very real fear.

"We're going to die." He heard Lily mutter, her face was close to his chest and the odd feeling of her breath on the skin his half-opened shirt revealed made James squirm uneasily.

"We are not going to die." James told her matter-of factly. "But you're going to have to try to keep your head above the water." Lily gripped his shirt tighter with one hand and a wave splashed James full in the face. They held tight to one another, fear of being lost alone in the depths making them forget any earlier arguments. James splashed back waves with one arm, as did Lily, forcing some of the oncoming water out of their faces. Lily shook against James' body, one hand still clenching half of his shirt in her fist.

James felt his arms grow slightly less tired as Lily helped him keep their heads above the water.. "Come on, we need to get closer to the ship." He pulled her closer to the wooden hull and yelled out Sirius' name, as though it would help.

"Won't being so close to the boat pull us under with the water?" Lily asked him shakily.

"Well we won't get too close." James agreed. He yelled out again and a wave slammed into them while they weren't watching. After much spluttering, James managed to still hold Lily tight and keep his head from going under.

He could feel Lily shaking, and could feel his own heart speeding up. If anyone had told him he'd be dying by drowning he'd have laughed in their face. It just wasn't a pirate's fate, it never was.

"James!" A familiar voice broke through the gale. "We're throwing you a line, if you can hear us!" It was Sirius, or maybe it was Remus. At the moment James didn't care who it was. It could've been the King himself, as long as the rope he was throwing was the pull him out of the water and not hang him.

James heard a loud splash beside him, grabbing the noosed rope before another wave sent them sprawling toward the ship again. James tightened his hold on Lily, and she glanced at him. "Hold onto me and kick your legs." He commanded. James threw the noose around them and gave it a tug. Lily felt her body press up against James' as the rope tightened around their bodies. James glanced at her face, following the water droplets that ran down the creases in her skin, along her nose and then down her jaw. Lily winced and put a hand to James' chest. "Ouch…what's under your shirt?" She asked.

James felt himself sharply drop into reality. Ignoring Lily's question, he tugged hard on the rope and it snagged as whoever it was pulled hard. A wave pulled at their bodies as they were pulled from the sea. They swung dangerously close to the side of the ship and Lily wrapped her arms around James neck. James glanced down at her. "Don't let go."

Lily looked down at the harsh waves still trying to enfold them. "I don't hate you that much." She told him, her hold tightening slightly. James would've laughed if another wave hadn't chosen that moment to envelope them. Waves began to pound them and James' arm that wrapped around Lily pulled her tightly against his chest, his other hand tightened it's hold on the rope that continued to pull them up. A final wave fought against their bodies as they were pulled over the rail and fell onto the deck, gasping and spluttering out water.

Lily's back was on the deck, her arms were still loosely around James' neck. He was on top of her, gasping to regain his breath. James realized that he was lying on top of Lily and by yanking out his knife from his boot, cut away the rope that had tied them together. He rolled off her and lay on his back, his chest heaving. Lily rolled on her side, shivering, the water was icing her skin, slowly, and the rain had barely let up.

James glanced at her and saw her pale face and lips that were steadily turning blue. James pulled himself up off the deck and put his arms under Lily's body, lifting her up in his arms against his chest, where she set her cheek. James struggled to his feet and looked around, fearing he would drop Lily if he had to hold her too long. "Remus." He breathed out and his second-mate was at once at his side. James handed Lily to him and Remus held her up.

"Get her dry and get her somewhere warm. Find her some dry clothes too." James ordered.

Remus nodded. "What about you?"

"This storm is still bad, I need to take care of my ship. I can't get any wetter anyway." James said, stumbling off with Sirius who had steadied his swaying.

Remus carried Lily to the closest place: James' cabin. He pushed open the door with his shoulder and kicked it shut with the back of his boot. The large room held a desk and a bed. The sheets were still lying rumpled on the floor, but Remus ignored them. He sat Lily on the edge of the bed and rummaged through a drawer. Remus found one of James' older smaller shirts and pair of breeches. Glancing back at Lily he realized she had wrapped her arms around her and was beginning to shake even more. He handed the clothes to Lily and led her over to where a curtain hung from the ceiling.

"You can change here." At first Lily didn't move, but after Remus backed out of the curtain, away from view, he heard the rustling of cloth and knew she was changing.

Remus listened to the rummaging of cloth as he glanced around the room. It was messy, but James was always messy. Remus grabbed the sheets and blankets off the floor and arrange them on the bed.

Lily came out from the curtain, looking even smaller than she normally did. Remus bit his lip to keep from chuckling at the long shirt whose sleeves ended past her hands, and whose shirt tail came halfway down her thighs. The pants fit a little better, but not much. In her arms she carried the wet, ripped cloth of her old dress. Remus took it from her and helped her in the bed. Lily curled up under the covers without a word, not even questioning where they were. Her eyes began to droop immediately and Remus watched her shaking under the blankets.

Remus set her dress to the side and backed out of the room. Lily tightened her hold on the blanket and tried to block out the sounds of the storm outside, that continued to mercilessly pound the ship.

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Well what do you guys think? Was it worth the wait? I know it was short, but the next chapter is almost done already and I'm going to try to post it tomorrow or maybe Monday. So tell me what you think! Review please:) :)


	7. The Calm After The Storm

Yes I know that I said I'd get this chapter up yesterday but I didn't have time. Actually you're very lucky to be getting it today, since my nose is really stuffy and my head is achy, and I had to rewrite parts of it, but it's here, and I like it. Hopefully you will too!

**Queenofrootloops**-Thank you, maybe one day I'll be washed out to sea and true love will spawn from it...eh I doubt it, but hey it's nice to dream. lol

**amythestpony**-Heros are hot, and if you've seen the guy whose supposed to play the teenage James in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix" then you already know that James is rather easy on the eyes. lol Thank you so much, I'm glad it was worth the wait.

**JPx3LE**-lol Thank you. That's my favorite line that Lily says to him. There's hope for them yet!

**bookworm2butterfly**-I adore Lily/James pirate stories as well, hence why I'm writing this one. Thank you very much.

**:MzPotter:**-I'm glad you loved the chapter. Thanks.

**RavieGrint**-Thank you very much. It was quite a storm, I wouldn't want to be caught up in it. Yes Lily's in his bed :) Nothing nasty though I promise :).

**kluvhp**-I'm sorry that it was giving you trouble, but I'm glad it worked in the end. Forgive my typos, I think I was very eager to get that chapter out because it had been such awhile. Hopefully this chapter won't have as many, since I got my mom to read over it too. Cross your fingers :) :)

**cosmopolitan**-Congratulations you were my 100th reviewer. :) I'm glad you liked the chapter. :) And I'm glad I finally updated too. lol

**Abarraine**-I'm glad you're enjoying it. Thank you so much for you compliments, I'm working so much harder on this story than I have on some of my other stories I've written before.

**sirius' lover xTx-**I'm glad you like it. Thanks for the review.

**opalshine**-lol Thank you so much.

**hermy permy-**I hope this is fast enough for you :) Thank you for your review.

**jamie**-Thank you

**BrazilianPrincess**-Thank you. Hehe you'll see.

**becks**- Thank you. No there's no magic in this story. Sorry :(

**sncaggie**-No he's not, I thought about it but decided not to. I think Lily would murder him if she woke up before he did. Glad you like it so far.

**DolphinDeamer24-7**- Wow you should've seen the size of the grin on my face when I read your review! I'm so honored you think that highly of my writing and my story. Hopefully the second half of the story will be as good as the first half.

**Amethyst-lilly-rider**- Thank you very much.

**EmilyEB**- Good dream? Bad dream? Funny you should say that though, I actually had a dream about this story too, beginning to end. Made me wake up and want to write it all down...the problem was there was school the next day. I'm glad you're enjoying it. :)

**Zily**-Actually for awhile my story wouldn't come up when someone searched for it. No idea why. Now all of a sudden it comes up. Kind of odd but o well. I'm glad you like it, and thank you.

**shmokey-bear**-Thank you, and your welcome too I guess. lol I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

**Dee**- That's a nice way to think about it. Thank you.

**Em3191**- Thanks, I like that part too. There's hope for them! lol I might've said that already.

**Anna**- Thank you, I hope this next chapter isn't too fast development for you though, I worried about that a little.

**LilyProngs**-Lots of action later on, the last chapters are pretty much action-action-action :) I'm glad you love it enough to sit down and read it all in one go. No it's not going to be anything like Pirates of the Caribbean, hopefully. And there's a part in this next chapter that might lead you to think it is, but trust me it's not. I promise.

**anofeelings**- Rock-hard abs, duh! No just kidding lol. You'll find out in this chapter what was under his shirt. Lily won't find out until later though.

**Andrien**-Thank you.

**Jenny**- Thank you very much. I'm glad you like it that much. lol

**magicXheart**-I'm so glad. Thanks.

I'm sorry if those are a little shorter than normal. I've still got homework and I'm trying to post this as fast as possible :) :) Also if I forgot to thank you, or spelled your name wrong, tell me and I'll fix it. I hope you guys like this chapter. :)

Disclaimer: I just realized I can now say that I don't just own the storyline but I own one character: Cook. Yay me!

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Chapter 7- The Calm After The Storm

James sat down hard on the steps, leaning his back against the them. His eyes closed against the sun that had finally managed to break out of the thundering black clouds. James let out a low groan, relieved that the rain and storm had ceased. It was past dawn, and the pale colors of the sky reflected in the calm ocean. No one would've guessed that a mere hour or two before a storm had raged across the same ocean.

James reveled in the silence that the new day brought, silence from the booms of thunder and cracks of lighting, or the slosh of the waves hitting the deck. The silence was broken by Sirius, who slumped down on the steps, and attempted a grin at James. "A bit tired, eh mate?"

James cracked his eyes open and saw Remus leaning against the rail, trying not to look as exhausted as he surely felt. Rubbing his face with his dirty sleeve, Remus bit back his yawn. James looked twice as tired as he was

James turned his head slightly, careful not to use too much energy, and blinked at Sirius. "A bit would be an understatement." James corrected. "I feel like I've been chewed up and spat out again."

Sirius plucked at James' wet shirt. "You forgot slobbered all over." He added helpfully.

James rolled his eyes and leaned his head against the side of the ship, not caring if he wasn't the perfect image of a captain at the moment. I should be checking on everything, he told himself, the boat, the crew…Lily too. "How's the ship?" He asked Remus, going down his metal list. His eyes slid half shut again, waiting for Remus' reply.

"The railings are splintered, the mast has come damage. Sails are ripped, ropes are snapped, and the deck is weathered. " Remus reported, trying to ignore his tired legs shaking underneath him. Finally he surrendered and sat down on the steps at Sirius' feet.

"And the men?" James mumbled.

"No one else went overboard, besides you and Lily." Remus replied, leaning against the stairs. Sirius snickered, but quickly turned it into a cough as James sat up and gave him a warning look.

James turned his eyes away from Sirius and his coughing fit, and rubbed his palm. Rope burns had branded his skin from the night before as he'd tried to fasten safety line after safety line. One had cut so deep it was bleeding slightly. James tore a strip off the bottom of his shirt and wrapped it distractedly around his hand. None of the men dead, that was good, he decided wiping his cheek. Need to shave, he though to himself casually. Though every other thought was random, James didn't pick up on it as his eyes scanned the ship.

Remus had been right, pieces of the wood lay splintered on the deck, some of the men were trying to clean it up. Maybe tree sap to fix up the rails, James though to himself. We'll have to stitch up the sails, that'll take some time, and we'll have to refasten ropes…lots of ropes. He restrained himself from groaning aloud.

Running an uncertain hand through his hair that was still dripping slightly down his face, James turned back to his friends. "How is Miss Evans?" He asked it so softly that Remus barely caught the question. Sirius shook his head, spraying them with flecks of water as Remus answered.

"She was getting to sleep last time I saw her, but that was when you told me to get her somewhere warm and dry. She was so pale, but I think that she's warmer now, and definitely dryer. I haven't looked in on her since the storm though, did you want me to?" Remus questioned lightly.

James shrugged. "No…she should be fine, just scared." He grabbed the rail and used it to pull himself to his feet. His body was tired and aching, and this time James didn't think it was due to nightmares stealing his sleep. "I'll go check on her before we start repairing the ship."

Remus watching him carefully, seeing the slight sway of James' tired body, and the almost defeated look on his face. "You might want to get some sleep." He commented.

James cocked an eye. "I don't look that tired…do I?"

"Yes you do mate." Sirius offered. "You look like you haven't gotten any sleep in days.."

James flinched in remembrance of his nightmare. "I'll be fine. I'll just go check and make sure Lily's not an ice block, and then I'll try and get some sleep." James took a couple steps toward the steps leading below deck before Remus coughed. James glanced at him.

"Actually….she's in your cabin." Remus told him. "It was the closest. And she's got some of your clothes too. It was the only thing I could find last night."

James blinked at him, wearing an expression that made him appear as though he'd been smacked in the face. His mouth gaped and his eyes unfocused for a moment. He put her in my bed? It my clothes? James thought, his stomach began to squirm uneasily.

Sirius interrupted his thoughts with a bark of laughter. "She's wearing James clothes? That'll be a funny sight."

Remus quirked a grin as James glared at his friends. "Well then I'll check there." He replied in a huff. "But where am I supposed to sleep now?" He wondered aloud. And what if she's been snooping around my room? James ranted inside. My room, who knows what kind of mischief that girl could get into! Sirius chuckled as James turned away again.

"James, be careful!" Sirius warned, laughter ringing in his voice.

James rolled his eyes. "I sincerely doubt that Lily Evans could do anything to me right now." He replied hotly, still frustrated that his bed had become game to anyone who'd fallen overboard. I was in the ocean just as long as she was, why did Remus have to take her to _my _bed! James thought to himself.

Sirius' face was set when James looked at him. "That's not what I mean. It's just…" Sirius paused and James saw a glint in his eye. "When someone saves another someone…sometimes the person saved develops….feelings, maybe even a passion, for the rescuer." He grinned at James.

James looked at Sirius and then at Remus, who was looking like he half believed what Sirius was saying. "You think because I helped Lily she's going to fall in love with me?" Sirius nodded and Remus shrugged. James laughed shortly. "That'll be the day." He replied.

"Don't underestimate it, James. All that yelling at each other might be a hidden passion." Sirius argued, smirking.

"Who did you hear that from? One of your many wenches?" James scolded. He sent and icy look at his two friends. "The day Lily Evans falls in love with me, or me with her, is the day I trust the English." James turned and began to strode off.

Remus coughed. "James…you are English."

James grabbed the handle of the door to his cabin and sent Remus a knowing look. "No, I'm a pirate…there's a difference."

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Lily slowly opened her eyes, staring up at the wood planked ceiling. She felt rough sheets against her face and slowly sat up, ignoring her aching sides.

Glancing down she noticed that she wasn't wearing her dress anymore, but a largely oversized shirt and breeches, and she could feel the warm stockings on her cold toes. Lily brushed her hair off her face and realized that it was still damp. She swallowed and pushed off the sheets to turn and sit at the edge of the bed, looking around.

She took in the large room. Barrels sat in one corner, and Lily decided she didn't want to know what was in them. There were piles of scattered papers and books, and cloth hangings from the ceiling, the ones she had changed behind last night. There was the large, hard bed she was sitting on, as well as shelves of bottles and more papers. A small table with three odd chairs, and a large wooden desk with a chair behind it. Behind the chair and messy desk was a large window that looked out to the ocean. Lily could see the waves the ship created disappearing behind them by looking out the window. Drapes hung oddly on the sides, as though never used.

Lily stood up, and immediately fell back down on the bed. Wincing as her tired legs protested she griped one of the poles near the bed and stood up. She stumbled across the room, meandering around the piles of odds and ends. He needs a housekeeper, or shipkeeper, Lily decided when she reached the desk and looked it over. Or maybe another ship to store all this junk.

Lily stared at the mounds of papers, scribbles decorating every inch. There were books, some opened with ripped pages and others closed with markers sticking out all over their edges. Papers with X's across them as though they were no longer needed, and maps, crinkled and sitting atop the mess. Lily tentatively reached and picked up a handful of the papers and maps. She gazed over the details of the map, taking in the dotted line that marked where _the Marauder _must've already been. She noticed little X's lining the coast of England and the coasts of other countries. Her eyes scanned over every inch, becoming totally engrossed in the pictures.

"You are nosy aren't you." A deep voice said from behind her. Lily turned quickly and found James Potter standing inches from her hands crossed over his chest. Lily's hands unconsciously tightened on the papers in her hands.

"I….well it….it was just sitting there…." Lily replied as James took the papers from her hands and looked them over.

"Nosy. You went picking through my desk." He accused. Lily bit her lip. James snorted. "I guess that means your feeling better."

Lily looked at him curiously. "Feeling….better?"

James raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't tell me you've forgotten that you decided to take a swim in sea last night? I sure haven't." He added stuffily.

Lily noticed his clothes hanging off him in wet strips. His shirt was torn in places and his hair was actually lying partially flat, due to the amount of water on top of it. "Oh…I remember." She replied softly, watching him standing in front of her.

James coughed loudly and went to lean against the desk. "Of course we can't really call what you were doing last night swimming. Gurgling water was more of what you were doing."

Anger rose in a red blush on Lily's face. "Well it's a little hard to swim when waves are bashing you about." She told him in a huff.

James bit his lips to keep his smile from showing on his lips. Red hot anger, he thought to himself. I wonder if all red-heads have that problem. Instead of voicing his thoughts, he scowled at her. "So I noticed while I was trying to hold myself and you up last night."

Lily glared and grabbed her boots from where she'd spotted them on the floor. She yanked them on and James couldn't hide his snort as she nearly tripped over her new pants. She straightened with dignity and pulled up the sleeves on the shirt so her hands were free. "I am going to the galley. Cook will be wanting to know where I am." She told him in a voice that was intended to point out to James that she was important on the ship, and didn't need his teasing.

James didn't take the hint. "Cook knows your resting from last night." He said instead as Lily was about to go to the cabin door. "Well he doesn't know you're in _my_ cabin." James stressed the word, reveling in the pink blush that burned on Lily's cheeks. "Or in _my_ clothes. But by now he'll probably have heard you fell into the ocean."

Lily growled under her breath at James words and stalked to the door and grabbed the handle. James' voice called out to her and she turned to look at him.

He squinted at her, taking her looks in more closely. The casual sweep of his eyes sparked Lily's anger even more. Like I'm some ship, Lily thought to herself, blushing even harder.

"However, you do look a bit less pale and wet. And your lips aren't as blue." James said slowly, smiling slightly. Lily blinked at his look, staring at him hard. James abruptly cleared his throat, knocking her back to earth, and Lily remembered that she had intended to walk out and leave him sitting there with that stupid look on his f ace.

"I am perfectly fine!" She informed him, pushing open the door and slamming it behind her.

James slowly walked around his desk and pushed his chair out. He stood in front of the chair and set the papers down on the messy desk. Then with a huge sigh he slumped down in his chair. A look of disgust crossed his face and he pulled out from under him a wet piece of cloth. He looked over it with revulsion. "What the-"

The door banged open and James looked up to see Remus and Sirius stride through the door and then shut it again. Sirius looked as though he was enjoying an extremely funny joke, while Remus was looking disapproving. Oh dear, James thought to himself as they came up to the desk.

"What did you do to Lily, mate?" Sirius questioned, sitting on the edge of the desk.

"Nothing!" James looked at them startled. They looked unconvinced and James went on. "I just pointed out the obvious. Why?"

"Lily just made her way below the deck with a fire in her eyes….and a bit red in the face as well." Sirius replied casually.

"Did you argue again?" Remus questioned.

James opened his mouth but Sirius interrupted him. "What was the other fight about, anyway?"

"Nothing." Growled James. "And we only argued a bit…..don't look at me like that Remus!"

"You two couldn't try to get along?" His second-mate pleaded. "It's hard to live on this ship with you and Lily on the warpath every time you talk. She's really not that bad of a person for a Duke's daughter"

"I am not on-"

"Pretty too." Sirius added. "And she's a top notch cook to here Cook tell of it."

"Are you on my side or hers?" James asked hotly, annoyed that he couldn't seem to get his argument out without them interrupting him.

"Dunno." Sirius looked at Remus. "Which one are you scared of more?"

"Sirius!" James balked.

"I was kidding." Sirius laughed.

James glared at his friend, opening his mouth to say something about Lily. He caught Remus' look though and stopped. Remus' face was set in the way that James knew he was just waiting for an argument. And argument that James would probably lose. Instead, he changed the subject, holding up the wet cloth he'd sat on. "What is this?" He glanced at Sirius, who seemed to be the most likely culprit.

But it was Remus', not Sirius', cheeks which turned slightly pink. "It's um…Lily's wet dress."

"It was in my chair."

"I just tossed it aside last night." Remus met James' hard stare. "We were in the middle of the storm, I wasn't going to hang it out to dry. Besides…it's in tatters."

James made a face and threw it at Remus, who juggled it before holding it to his chest. "I sat on it." James told him bluntly. "Get rid of it or something. It's too torn up for her to wear."

James stood up and walked around the desk. He shivered slightly, remembering he was wearing wet clothes still, and pulled off his wet shirt. Remus set the dress out of the way, out of James' line of vision.

Sirius watched as James fingered a circular gold piece around his neck. It hung on a gold chain and wasn't smooth, but had grooves and crevices depicting some ancient writing. It had an empty hole in the middle of the circle, and each edge was specifically designed, like it was a puzzle piece, meant to fit somewhere important. James took it off his neck and set it on the desk with a regretting look at it. Turning away, he went behind the curtain, looking around for another shirt and breeches.

Sirius picked up the gold piece that was smaller than his fist. He'd seen it many times, but there was something about it that you couldn't help looking at it and fingering it. "I'm surprised you didn't lose it last night." He commented toward James.

He heard James snort. "I wouldn't lose that. If it had dropped and I would've had to chose between it and Miss Evans-"

"Stop James." Remus broke in. "Don't finish that thought. I don't want to have to think any less of you than I already do."

Chuckling, James came out from behind the curtain, now dressed in dry black breeches and boots, and pulling a cream-colored shirt over his messy head. "You don't think that little of me, do you Remus?" Remus' mouth pulled into a small grin.

"Any more luck on that treasure?" Sirius interrupted.

James' face turned stony and he took the gold piece out of Sirius' hand, holding it tightly. He ran his fingers slowly over each groove. Long ago he had memorized each pattern, and it would fit in it's home. His eyes narrowed and a familiar blue fire appeared in them. "No. I've been out on the ocean for the past couple months. And sadly, though you ask, the ocean won't tell you where a treasure lies."

Sirius shrugged. "You could've come ashore when we were last in port, but you decided to stay on the ship and antagonize Lily."

James glared. "Someone had to stay with her." He said, annoyed that the subject and argument he'd tried to avoid earlier would be coming back.

"And why not the one man who turns away every wench who suggests a little cozy time." Sirius teased.

James shot him a look. "Oh be quiet. It's better than the man who wenches three girls every night." Sirius pretended to look hurt, though his smile gave him away.

Remus sighed. "He has a point, James."

James rolled his eyes. "Oh please, Remus, you wench less than I do. At least I did wench for the first few years I was a pirate."

Remus' ears turned bright red. "That is not what I meant." He seethed. "You could've come ashore if you'd wanted to, you chose not to."

"I've been in that port before. I wouldn't have found anything else out about the treasure." James scoffed, dropping the gold medallion like object on the desk.

Remus grabbed it, muttering under his breath, "Leave it there too long and it'll get lost." James ignored the comment.

"Did either of you two learn anything about the treasure?" James questioned instead.

Remus shook his head, Sirius shrugged. "Nothing…sorry mate."

James let out a long breath and sat down hard on his chair again. He turned it and stared out the window. The blue sky rose up from the foaming sea. It was scenes like this that made him half glad he'd become a pirate and could live on the water. The water so calm right now, unlike the night before.

"She could've said thank you." James muttered to himself, his mind straying to the storm.

"What?" Remus questioned. Sirius picked up one of the maps and began looking it over, as thought deciding the conversation wasn't interesting enough.

"Miss Evans. She didn't even tell me 'thank you' for saving her life." James informed them. Sirius looked up from the map, like a dog perking his ears at an interesting sound.

"It's not as if you jumped in after her, James. You were washed away just like her." Remus pointed out. James scowled at him.

"But she still should've thanked me."

"Since when are you so high-strung on manners and thank-yous?" Sirius questioned innocently.

James sent him a look. "It's common for someone who's been saved to thank the person who saved them."

"Do you want to know what I think?" Sirius asked, the look he'd had earlier on the landing steps coming into his eyes.

"No I don't." James snapped. "It has nothing to do with anything you said before, so just be quiet." Sirius pouted.

"Maybe she forgot." Remus suggested.

James shrugged. "Doesn't matter…next time she falls overboard I'm not jumping in to save her."

"You didn't jump in this time." Sirius added lightly

James snatched the medallion back from Remus, putting it around his neck, then under his shirt so no one could notice it. He didn't respond to Sirius' words, instead began to belt his sword around his waist.

Sirius watched him for a moment before grabbing James' wrist. "Get some sleep mate. We'll worry about finding the treasure, and why Lily didn't give you her thanks later. Just get some rest." James glanced at him, as though about to disagree. But he was tired and so he nodded in silent surrender. They waited until James dropped the sword belt before leaving.

James slumped down in his seat, looking over the papers in front of him. "I'll just look these over first….maybe there's another clue." He mumbled to himself, focusing on Sirius' first assurance of finding the treasure. Flipping over the papers he began writing all over them, trying to ignore the drooping of his eyes, or the silence that began to eat away at his body, causing him to relax, and then nod off.

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Lily silently pounded the dough against the table. It squeaked and squelched between her fingers. Every once in awhile her overly large sleeves would fall down her arms, over her hands. White flower dusted her nose and Lily fought the urge to sneeze. Her lip soon became imprinted with her teeth marks as she bit her lip, her mind burrowed deep in thought.

Cook noticed, nothing got past him Lily had realized. When she'd come into the kitchens, still slightly damp and red in the face from her talk with James, Cook had greeted her pleasantly. He asked how she was, but Lily was still in shock from the night before. So, the only response she had given was a muttered reply.

Now Cook spoke up again. "Is something troubling you?"

Lily set the dough down as she rolled her sleeves up again. "No….nothing…" Her voice faded into uncertainty. "Cook how much do you know about what happened last night….during the storm?"

Cook had been cutting potatoes, he was always cutting potatoes. But he paused to watch her. "A wave washed you and the Captain off the ship. Both of you were nearly lost, but Sirius threw you a line and the two of you got pulled back on the ship. Was there something else?"

"No." She answered quickly. "It's just…." She bit her lip harder and looked up at him. "Captain Potter….saved my life." Cook's eyebrows shot up with interest and Lily hurried on. "Well only a little. I mean I could swim, but it was just hard…with the waves. He helped…a little…." Cook's eyes stayed focused on her face and Lily felt her face heat slightly. "But….he's a pirate!" Lily huffed.

Cook looked confused, but didn't say anything, letting her continue.

"He robs innocent people, and he yells at me. He insulted me. And he's a murderer! He killed that innocent little boy!" Lily bantered. "People like that, pirates, don't save people."

Cook ignored the realization that Lily had looked over the fact that he, Cook, was indeed a pirate as well. "The Captain is not all bad, I've told you that before." He said calmly.

"But he killed someone…and who knows who else he's killed. And we _don't_ get along. I wouldn't save him…he wouldn't save me." Cook opened his mouth but Lily' ranted on. "But he did…and that doesn't make sense. He shouldn't of. And now I'm in his clothes and I woke up in his bed…he wasn't there but still. And then he called me nosy, but he saved me life? It doesn't make sense. He's a murder, a pirate."

Lily sat down hard on a nearby stool, her eyes deep in thought and confusion. Cook watched her, trying to not smile as she went back and forth. "He didn't kill the boy." Cook said after a moment of silence.

Lily's eyebrows shot together. "What!" She exclaimed.

Cook smiled as he repeated himself. "James didn't kill the little boy. He let him live."

"But-But he was pointing a gun…." Lily murmured to herself.

Cook shrugged and returned to cutting vegetables. "Well something you said must've stopped him. Don't know what though, Sirius didn't say. James hasn't told anyone what it was either."

Lily was silent thinking. James hadn't killed the little boy, he wasn't a murderer. Then her thoughts darkened. Well he wasn't the murderer of that little boy, but how many other little boys had their been? How many other people had James killed? But he did save my life, I suppose I should acknowledge that. "I didn't say thank you." She said softly.

Cook didn't look up. "Maybe you should." He suggested casually.

Lily pursed her lips and glanced around the room. Her eyes fell on the last chicken sitting in the crate. A slow smile spread across her face. "Cook….do you want to try that chicken recipe again?"

--------------------

Lily tapped on the door to James' cabin. No sound came from the other end. Lily winced as she knocked again, holding the tray with one hand was very difficult she'd realized.

Finally Lily got tired of waiting. She pushed open the door and closed it softly behind her as she stepped through.

Glancing around Lily could see that the room was just as messy, if messier, than it had been that morning. The sheets were still rumpled and piles of papers still littered the floor. How can he live like this? Lily wondered to herself as she came up to the desk.  
A mop of black hair was sitting on the desk. James arms where bent next to his head and a soft snore rose from his mouth. Papers sat under his chin, one was even crumpled in his fist. Lily sat down her tray and leaned across the desk.

"Captain Potter." She whispered. There was no movement. "Captain Potter." She said a little louder. He stirred slightly, but still didn't raise his head. Lily tapped him hard on the shoulder while repeating his name for a third time. "Potter!"

James shot up from where he was at her touch, and fell out of the chair and loudly onto the floor. There was a yelp and Lily's eyes widened as James disappeared from view. His head perked up from behind the desk. "What in blue blazes?" He said loudly.

"Sorry." Lily replied quickly.

James stopped and stared up her. Standing quickly to his feet he brushed off his shirt. "Oh…it's you."

Lily smiled apologetically. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

James looked mildly surprised. "I was asleep? For how long?" Lily shrugged and James sighed, walking around to the front of his desk. Crossing his arms he sent her a stony look. "What do you want?"

He really does need some manners, Lily thought to herself. She swallowed. "Thank you." She whispered.

James' eyes got wide, as though he didn't believe he'd heard her right. To prove the point he asked, "What did you say?"

Lily set her shoulders. "I said 'Thank you'. For…saving my life."

James blinked, his mouth slightly agape. Coming to his senses he nodded slightly. "Um….you're welcome….I think." He turned his embarrassed gaze away from him and Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing as she watched his ears turning red.

"What is this?" He asked her, gesturing to the tray she'd brought with her. Lily looked down at the tray, that was filled with parts of the chicken, dusted with herbs. There was a bit of fruit that hadn't gone bad, and some bread. It all looked rather appeasing to Lily.

"It's your dinner." Lily ventured.

James sent her a knowing look. "You didn't want to owe me anything, did you?" Lily blushed slightly and James smiled, his lips pulling back from white teeth. He tore a piece of chicken off the bone between his fingers, and examined it with mock seriousness. "Not poisoned." He said calmly before putting it into his mouth.

His face changed from teasing to enjoying in a matter of moments. James swallowed hard, his eyes wide. "Did you….how did….you…. He exclaimed and the corner of Lily's lips turned upward in a grin. "This is…no pirate ship has food this…edible!" James told her. "Did you make this?"

Lily shrugged. "It was mostly Cook." She smiled at him, trying to stop blushing. It was rather interesting to see James being truthful, well if pirates could be truthful.

"I'd better go now." Lily didn't want to be alone with him this long, and it felt odd not yelling at him while talking to him. Lily stepped away and tripped on the hem of her pants. James reached out to grab her but Lily gained her footing before he could.

James bit his lip to keep from laughing outright, quickly putting the hand he'd almost offered to her behind his back. "Those pants being a bit of a problem?" He observed.

Lily sighed and pushed up her sleeves. "They're your clothes." She reminded him. "And in case you haven't noticed I am much shorter than you are."

James ignored the icy tone to her voice. "Next time we're in port we'll buy you some new clothes." A surprised look crossed Lily's face. "You know a pair or two of breeches…a shirt or two. Dresses aren't that safe on a ship….don't last long…." James struggled.

Lily's eyes glittered at him with appreciation. "That would be lovely…but I don't have any money." She reminded him.

"Don't fret about it." James assured her.

Lily's eyes narrowed with mistrust. "You wouldn't steal them, would you?"

James blushed slightly, revealing that stealing might have been exactly what he had been planning. "No, of course not…we'll get them with an un-pirate-like method. Agreed?"

"The last time I agreed to something with you I ended up bound to a contract."

James rolled his eyes. "Are you still bantering about that?"  
"No…I was just pointing out that agreements with you are never a good idea. But I'll accept your offer." With a small smile Lily started toward the door.

"Thank you." Lily turned and stared at James. "For the food."

Lily grabbed the handle. "You're welcome." She replied before disappearing out the door.

Once outside the door Lily leaned against the door and grinned. He'd teased her a bit but at least he hadn't been shoving guilt in her face. He was even going to buy her new clothes. Thank goodness, Lily thought as she pushed her sleeves up again. She turned her head and found Sirius standing near her, staring with dark eyes.

Probably surprised that I'm not spitting fire after a conversation with James, Lily concluded. She scowled at Sirius and added to herself, well he'd better not get used to it, James and I are not friends, just because he saved me and is getting me new clothes.

"Stupid, egotistical pirate." Lily spat, as though she was talking about James and strode off toward her own cabin.

Sirius glanced after her, then back at James' door, then back toward Lily

---------------

James turned from the door after Lily left and grabbed another bite of chicken and chuckled to himself. "She's the King's niece, and she can cook." He muttered, smirking. "What a match that is!"

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Okay a couple things about that medallion thing hanging around James' neck that I felt needed to be pointed out after I wrote it: 1) It's not cursed Aztec gold 2) There's only one peice (not 882) which means that the treasure they are talking about is not filled with gold donut pieces. 3) It is not part of the actual treasure, but it is important in them getting their "treasure". I just didn't want anyone thinking I was copying from Pirates of the Caribbean because I'm really not. Gold pieces just make more sense then say, bronze ones (plus I think they might last longer, but I don't remember, tell me if I'm wrong). Trust me on that.

Anyway what did you think? My mom thought it might have too much dialoge and not enough action but I like it. Hit the review button and tell me what you think. Thanks a bunch.

Oh and the next chapter might be awhile, I started it and it's being a pain in the butt...hopefully by this weekend, cross your fingers :)


	8. Damages Repaired

Yes she lives! I'm so sorry it's taken me such a long time to update. This chapter has been a pain in the butt to put together and write, I guess there's at least one chapter like that in a story. But it's finally done! Thank you so much for your patience. A big thanks to all my reviewers (yes I know these thanks take up a lot of space, but just scroll down if you don't want to read them...it's important to me to thank the people who review my fic, even if the thanks is short :) ):

**james-s2-lily-** lol. I'm glad you like the story, though it'll be a while before James and Lily get together.

**Abarraine**-Thanks bucket loads. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

**bananas**-Glad you liked it, I'm pleased you think it's moving along, I had fears it might be moving to slow to perhaps too fast.

**koolkatkt123**- I also put off my homework most nights...lol it's much more fun to read fanfiction. Thanks so much.

**anofeelings**-Thanks

**LilyProngs**-Ack yes I said this weekend, and "this weekend" was weeks ago. My 'pologies, for the typos and the wait. Once again I'm glad you enjoyed the story so far.

**bookworm2butterfly**-Sparks will be coming, and of course there's already those sparks that have gone unnoticed by the two. :) Thanks.

**Queenofrootloops**-lol yup. Thanks so much.

**Zily**-No matter how much she might dislike James at points, Lily is a lady...most of the time lol. Thank you for reading.

**JPx3LE**-Thanks. I completely agree with you about the balance between action and dialogue.

**BrazilianPrincess**-You'll find out what he medallion is later, I promise. Lily doensn't know about it yet, but she'll find out soon.

**DolphinDreamer24-7**-Thank you so much. I'm honored that you think that. In my spare time I am working on my novel, but I haven't for awhile. This story is much to addicting to write. Lol. Lot's of explanations will come soon, I promise. Of course more explanations might also lead to more questions...lol

**messyblackhair66-**I'm glad you thought there was a balance. I'm sorry my update wasn't that soon, but hopefully you'll like this chapter.

**cosmopolitan**-lol Thanks for the review. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**MistressBlack523**-Thank you. Pirate stories are awesome, and I'm glad I got you hooked :)

**althea**-Thanks so much. Hope this chapter keeps you interested.

**opalshine**- lol...it'll be awhile before any kissing, but some "bumping" into each other will be coming in the next chapter.

**Dee**-Your point about the gold makes sense. Thanks

**EmilyEB**-Thank you

**RavieGrint**-Thanks again.

**wIthOUt A nAmE**-Glad you enjoyed it.

**shortyroc**-Thanks very much for the compliment and the review. Hope you like the update.

**piggy396**-lol. Thank you, I like being different.

**Anonoymous**-Thank you, I understand what you're saying, but I do like to thank people...and since some people don't have a reply link I like to do it this way. :)

**I love fred and George**-action will come, just wait. Thanks for reviewing.

**Anna**- This is another sort of filler chapter, but I hope you enjoy it anyways. The next chapter is a lot less fillery (is that a word?)

**Jenny**-Thank you

**snaggie**-James and Lily will have more civil conversations. I mean nearly dying a storm together has to make something change, right? Thanks.

**angelofmynightmare**-lol an excellent point

**liakenzie**-I hope you're not too furious with me :)

**falling-star13**-Thank you very much. I'll try to keep it up

**Rylie D**-Thank you, I'm glad you like it. There does seem to be a short supply of pirate stories though, doesn't there? Oh well. Thanks for the review, hope you enjoy.

**Elolinone**- I've heard of the book, and I almost checked it out of the libaray but the bell was almost ready to ring :( I'll work on that though. What you said made sense about Lily being thrown overboard, and my dad pointed out to me that he didn't think they were acting like "real" pirates. I'll have to keep that in mind while I'm writing. On the other hand, I don't think James' chances would be good in the future if he threw Lily overboard...o well. I'm glad you enjoyed it though :)

**shmokey-bear**- It's funny, now while I'm writing this story I'm trying to make sure I'm not copying "Pirates of the Caribbean" in any way. I'm glad you like it.

**sweena**-hehe sorry for my lack of update. hope you enjoy this chapter.

**hermy permy**-lol sorry :)

Whew...Thank you all again so much, and once again I'm sorry for the lack of update :) Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I only own the story, and Cook apparently :) :)

* * *

Chapter 8-Damages Repaired

James ran his fingers down the jagged tear in the white sail. Shaking his head at the damage he let his eyes wander around the rest of the canvas. Most of the rips were minor, only a few would hamper their sailing. James decided to patch the worse ones first, his need to get to port urged him to find any way to make the progression of his ship faster. He needed to get rid of the loot he'd pillaged from the merchant ship soon. As long as he sold all of his plunder, leaving no distinct evidence that he'd pirated their vessel, no one could claim him to be a pirate. Unless of course one of the merchants spotted him, but hardly anyone would believe a merchant. They were poor and many had turned pirate, no one trusted them. James almost felt sympathetic toward them, scorned by the nobles and higher classes. But of course he certainly was not above stealing from them.

He rolled up his sleeves, revealing tanned arms with signs of scars tainting the skin. Unlike other pirates, however, his right wrist was bare of any pirate brand. And he planned to keep it that way. Why burn proof of your pirateness on your arm, James wondered. Any opportunity of getting out of a hanging that not having a brand gave him was worth it. James turned his thoughts back to the job at hand, grabbing some thread and a needle, working to close the long holes.

James had positioned himself against the mast, one of the sails lying around him. Some members of the crew passed him, many of them had been working on replacing tethers and repairing the wooden deck. Over the past couple days as James had repaired the other sail, many of the other repairs had been made to the ship. He was beginning to slowly relax as his ship steadily returned to the prestige it had been at before the storm.

Remus came down from the landing, letting one of the other pirates take the wheel. He paused, standing above James, who was trying to snap the thread with his teeth.

"Are you taking up knitting, James?" Remus joked, casually leaning against the mast.

James spat out the thread and smirked. "It's not knitting. But if you want I can darn your socks next." He volunteered.

Remus chuckled. "No thanks. You're stitches aren't straight enough." He pointed at the newly sewn patch with its crooked stitching.

James shrugged. "It won't let the wind through." He pointed out. There was a loud noise from overhead and James glanced up, seeing Sirius walking across the spar. The first-mate was tightening the new ropes he'd been working on for the past couple days. Sirius wobbled slightly, and then continued with his task, repairing ropes and replacing the ones beyond repair.

Remus followed James' gaze and shivered to himself. "I'm glad you gave Sirius the job of repairing the riggings and not me." He murmured toward James.

James chuckled. "If I had sent you up there I would have had to send someone else to bring you down."

"Just because you wish you were born a bird doesn't mean the rest of us can't be sane." Remus reprimanded.

James laughed and went back to his stitching. A moment later he yelped loudly, dropping the needle. From his finger fell red drops of blood. James winced and watched the drops turn the previously white canvas red. The blood barely covered a gold coin's worth of space, but James still stared at it.

"Blood on the sails." He muttered softly. Glancing up, he fixed Remus with a serious look. "Good omen or bad?" James asked.

"Red tainting white is always a bad omen." Remus glanced at the sail and swallowed. "Very bad luck when blood falls on the sails."

James studied the blood again. "Flowers on board a ship are bad luck as well, so are red-heads." He added.

Remus glared at him. "Give it a rest, James. Lily is not bad luck."

"You didn't fall overboard with her." James muttered to himself. Standing up, he looked at his friend. "I don't need anymore bad luck, Remus! I've got more than my gold's worth already!"

Remus threw out his hands, palms open in surrender. James grumbled under his breath and glanced at the sail seated at his feet. "Maybe sewing isn't my forte." James admitted.

Remus chuckled, but his reply was cut off by a shout from over their heads. Both men looked up to see Sirius hanging on a rope and leaning off the spars. "One of you dashing mates want to come and help me out up here?" He called down to them.

James cocked an eye. "Where's Peter? He should be able to help you out."

Sirius shrugged. "He's not up here. Probably wandering around trying to find some scraps of food."

James ignored Sirius rant and glanced at Remus, who violently shook his head. "Not in your life, James."

James sighed and grabbed the rope leading up the spar. "Fine. Just catch me if I fall."

Remus nodded as James pulled himself up the line and mast. Craning his neck, Remus watched as James met Sirius on the wooden spar and began to help out Sirius. Remus was so absorbed in watching, he didn't hear Lily come up beside him until she touched his arm. Remus jumped before recognizing who she was. "Oh…Lily." He breathed out.

Lily waved her arm toward the sail that James had abandoned. "What is this?" She asked curiously. She had just escaped the galleys where Cook was now taking his afternoon nap. Right now she was welcoming the fresh air the open deck offered her.

"James is repairing the sails. Sails with holes won't catch the wind." Remus informed her. Lily followed his eyes and noticed Sirius and James tied down more ropes along the mast.

"Won't they fall?" She asked him nervously.

Remus shook his head. "No….at least I hope not." He added to himself.

---------------------

James finished tightening the riggings and blew on his hands that had been turned red from the coarse rope. "There. That should be tight enough." He told Sirius, who pulled on the rope one more time for good measure.

James sat down on the spar, his legs dangling off the edge. Sirius took a seat beside him, gripping the nearby ropes. "Almost done up here. Once you get those sails patched up and we get them flying we'll be all set to sail at normal speed."

James nodded. Midway through the nod he paused, seeing Lily down on the deck next to Remus. "What is Lily doing on deck?" He wondered.

"Probably wants some fresh air." Sirius commented, glancing down as James blinked at his friend, not realizing he'd spoken aloud.

"Maybe." James' voice faded off as he glanced out at the blue sea that met the clear sky. The surface was calm, ripples sent from _the Marauder_ were the only movement. He stared out at the horizon that was hazy in his vision, carefully taking it in.

"Stop that!" Sirius barked, making James jump and nearly fall off the spar. Glancing at his friend he found Sirius' eyes frustrated. "Stop looking over your shoulder like that. It gives me the chills." Shivering he added. "And I've already got plenty of them."

James sighed and forced himself not to look at the horizon. "It's hard to help." He murmured before standing up and balancing his way to the mast to swing down. "Finish up here and I'll finish down there." He told his friend before gripping the rope and descending the mast.

-----------------------

Remus and Lily backed away as James hit the deck. "Sirius is almost done." Lily noticed that James seemed edgier than normal, but decided to keep her silence on the subject. James glanced at her and sent a questioning look her direction. "Shouldn't you be cooking?"

Lily straightened. "I was. I needed some air." She replied smartly.

James cast his eyes over her. "Hm." He grunted.

Lily pointed at his sail. "And your stitching is crooked." She added.

James' face flushed red and he glanced at the sail, then at Remus who was trying to hide a smile. "So I've been told." James growled under his breath. Glancing at Lily, he picked up the needle and thread from where he'd dropped it earlier. "If you two don't mind I need to get back to my job, without little twittering birds criticizing my stitching!"

Remus chuckled aloud and Lily smiled down at him, almost in pity. It was obvious James didn't know the first thing about needles, thread, or what their job was. If the little red dots on his fingertips were any indication, then Lily guessed that he wasn't a very good aim with the needle either. Taking a deep breath she bent down. "Stop it." She grabbed the needle from him. "You couldn't sew straight if you were paid gold."

James gave her an offended look, trying to hide his curiosity. "It doesn't have to be straight as long as it closes the hole."

"If it's not straight it will miss places and you'll have another hole." Lily informed him. "I'll do it." James gaped at her. "What? I need a break from cooking. And I want to get to port as much as you do."

"Why is that?" James asked suspiciously, his hazel eyes boring into her.

Lily raised her chin and met his hard eyes. "I want clothes I don't trip in walking across the deck." She told him sharply before grabbing the sail out of his hands.

James stood up and stumbled back from her, toward his cabin. His eyes were narrowed in thought as Remus caught up with him.

"You're going to let her do that?" Remus asked him.

James shrugged. "If she wants to." He chanced a glance at Lily who had already started stitching, before turning to his cabin door.

"And what do you plan to do then?" Remus questioned.

James shrugged. "I'll…count gold or something."

Remus snorted. "You mean the gold you lock up in your desk drawer and never look at? We'll all know something is wrong if you go and count that."

James made a face at him and looked at Lily again. "Maybe." He muttered to himself, grabbing the handle of the door and pushing himself inside.

---------------------

Lily carefully pushed the needle through the thick fabric, closing the last hole. Putting down the needle she looked around at the sail. It wasn't all that bad, especially for a girl who's only experience with needles had been crocheting in her bedroom. Lily grinned as she looked it over, proud that she'd done such a good job.

Much better than James, Lily told herself, glancing around the sail she could easily pick out James' stitching from her own. She stood up slowly, looking up the deck for Sirius or Remus to tell she'd finished. Turning she spotted a man walking toward the mast that stood at her back.

"Hello." She greeted him, trying to smile.

The man gave her a wary look. His beady eyes took her in and his thinning blond hair ruffled against his forehead, though not in the way James' did. He was shorter than Remus or Sirius, and heavier as well. Lily bit her lip as she studied him. Of all the pirates on the ship, he was certainly not the most dashing. That honor seemed to go to Sirius or James. At her last thought Lily blushed, and by the way the man raised his eyebrows, she guessed he assumed it was because of him.

"You look…familiar." She told him. And it was true. There was something about him that caused her memory to twist in the back of her mind.

The man's lips pulled into what Lily assumed was a smile. "I was on the ship when you were taken." He told her, rather proudly.

Lily's eyes sparked in remembrance. "Oh…the man with Remus…Peter?" He nodded. "The lookout." She added and watched as his face darkened for a moment.

"Aye…" He muttered almost bitterly. "The lookout."

"Oh. Well….would you know where Remus or Sirius was?" Lily asked, ignoring the cold feeling that seemed to have appeared in the moments she'd been speaking with Peter.

Peter pointed toward the landing. "Remus'll be up there. Sirius is still climbing in the mast." He grunted at her and walked off down the deck.

Lily stared after him and then found her hands had clenched the cloth of her shirt in her fists. An interesting man, she thought to herself. Nothing like Remus, or Sirius and James. It wasn't his appearance either, it was his manner. He was a pirate, and it was expected for each one to be a little different than any man she'd ever met before. But Peter seemed almost too different, almost out of place among the daring pirate crew of the Marauder.

Lily shook her head. You've been on this ship too long, Lily, she chided herself. You're starting to think like, heaven forbid it, a pirate. Lily laughed to herself, what an idea that was, her thinking like a pirate. It left a faintly warm feeling in her chest as she moved away from the sail and to the landing. Pushing the feeling and thoughts aside she proceeded to locate Remus. When she tripped on the steps she pulled on her shirt sleeves and quickened her step. She desperately wanted to get to port.

* * *

So did you guys like it? I know it was short and not any action but the next chapter will remedy that. I'm almost done with chapter 9 (just some editing), so it will be posted either tonight or tomorrow, I promise this time. Please tell me what you guys think! 


	9. Trust

Here's the next chapter, I'm glad you guys liked the last one.

**LilyProngs**-Yeah I guess it was. This one I don't think is as slow. Enjoy.

**sncaggie**-Thanks lots

**bananas-**lol thank you

**magicXheart**-well since you said please...lol thanks for the review

**Anna**-Peter is an evil rat...never liked him and never will :) just my opinion though.

**eternal-charmer**-wow lots of questions...not that I mind. I was almost done with this chapter, then I realized that I'd left a chunk out, that's why I was day late reviewing..sorry. L/J action will be coming in bucketloads in the coming chapters. The guy was Peter, he's in the beginning of the story and right now, he hasn't been in it often. Actually I do have it all planned out, a couple of details are still fuzzy, but the main thing is there. Hope you enjoy the next chapter.

**EmilyEB**-glad you liked it. Action is coming, nothing as big as like a ship-to-ship fight like in pirates of the caribbean, but some is coming. :)

**SugarHi Marauders**-I'm glad you liked it. I didn't realize what you said about the blushing thing until you said it...I really hadn't planned on her liking him quite yet, it was more of a civil understanding for the time being. I'll work on the blushing though.

**MistressBlack523**-lol I'm really glad you like it that much. Hope this next chapter won't disappoint.

**Icedshardz**-Thank you very much. Ramblings not a bad thing, I do it often actually :)

**Tansiana**-Thank you

**RavieGrint**-Peter is creepy, he's supposed to be that way...I think he was born that way...sorry rambling. Thank you for the review:)

**althea**-Thank you, I hope you like this one, it's not really a filler for a change :)

**piggy396**-Yes I did promise. So here's the update lol I hope you like it!

**Queenofrootloops**-yes they do get to port, but they don't stay long. hehe you'll see what happens.

**Rylie D-**I completely understand about the shakespeare thing. Actually I made up the blood on the mast, but it would be something pirates would believe, don't you think?

**JPx3LE**- Thank you, and I hope you're feeling better :) Maybe this'll cheer you up too :)

**dee**-Thank you so much, hope you like this chapter too :)

**messyblackhair66**-I'm hoping it comes across as James likes Lily before she likes him, but I dunno how much before, now that I'm looking back on it. I might have to work that out. I'm glad you liked my portrayal of Peter.

Thank you guys so much for reviewing. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I only own the story, and Cook, but that is beside the point :)

* * *

Chapter 9-Trust

Lily twitched out of sleep, hearing loud voices near her door. She slowly sat up and glanced out the small circular window on the wall. It was a faint picture, but Lily could make out a dock and some other ships, as well as people. We must've reached port. Lily thought to herself. A smile brightened her face. Potter promised me new clothes. Finally she wouldn't have to worry about tripping anymore.

Lily scrambled out of the bed and yanked on her boots, as she did the voices got louder, and she paused to listen. It wasn't hard to catch the words, even through the thick wood walls of the ship.

"No! I refuse! I bluntly and absolutely refuse Remus!" It was James' loud voice. Lily winced, remembering when it had been focused at her, and she pitied Remus for being the intended target.

"James keep your voice down!" Remus loudly whispered.

"I will not!"

"You are acting like a baby."

"No I'm not." James defended himself. "Remus she's barely been on this ship."

"It's getting close to three months now."

"Try two."

"James, she's been on here for weeks. Give her a chance."

"No! I still don't trust her. What if some red-coated English soldier passes by and notices her? I might get run through, or she might take the opportunity to run."

"You really don't have much faith in people, do you?" Remus questioned mildly.

"I have lots of faith in you and Sirius. Just not in Miss Evans. I don't trust her. She still hates my guts-"

"Which you haven't done much to dissuade."

"And if she was given the opportunity to would go back, she would. I am not bringing her ashore just to buy her clothes and risk her trying something.." James finished angrily. Lily swallowed hard. What was he expecting to do? Measure a wench and compare sizes? She wondered furiously.

"And how do you expect to find the right size for her?" James was silent in response and Lily could hear the knowing smirk in Remus' voice as he spoke again. "She needs to be there to find the right clothes."

"Couldn't you just-"

"No. Sirius will go with you two and I'll fulfill my duties as second-mate and take care of the ship in your absence." Remus added smartly.

Lily could imagine the pout on James' face and the angry look in his eyes. "I don't trust her, Remus." He whispered, as though this time he really did care if Lily heard him or not.

"How are you going to know if you can trust her or not if you don't take some chances?" Remus asked him.

"I….I…." James' voice faded off and Lily felt her body tense, waiting for his answer. There was a deep sigh and then James said, "Fine. I'll bring her and buy her the clothes. We'll be gone an hour or two. And then we'll come back. All three of us."

"All three of you." Remus repeated, the smile heard plainly in his voice.

Lily stood up quickly and opened the door. She saw James and Remus' backs disappearing up the stairs at the end of the hall.

Maybe he's hoping I'll wake up late and won't be able to accompany him into town, Lily thought smugly as she shut her door and followed the retreating figures up the steps onto the main deck.

The sight of the new port met her eyes. Much like the other one she'd seen, with it's docks and other brilliant ships with bright flags. She glanced up at the mast and not for the first time wondered why _the Marauder _didn't fly any colors, whether it was in port or on the sea.

The question was pushed to the back of her mind as Sirius stepped up to her, a brilliant smirk on his face. "Coming to shore with us Lily?" He questioned as though he already knew the answer.

Lily couldn't suppress her grin and Sirius quickly guessed she'd heard James and Remus' conversation. James walked up to them at that moment with Remus trailing behind, an almost smug look on his face.

"You're coming into port with us." James told Lily bluntly. Remus winked at her and Lily couldn't help but put in her two cents.

"I thought you didn't trust me." She asked innocently. Sirius snorted and James' eyes flashed.

"I don't." He told her through bared teeth. "Don't think I do." He added, glancing at Remus. "No one leaves the ship until I get back."

"Why?" Lily asked, genuinely curious.

Remus blinked at her. "James likes to keep tabs on each pirate, know their comings and goings and who's on the ship. He can do that when he gets back. Besides, it's easier for me." Lily didn't have time to ask why James wanted to know everyone's comings and goings, because James walked past her and descended down to the dock below. Sirius offered her a hand to help her until she was standing firmly on the wooden dock. She glanced around, trying to take in the smells of the solid land, it was so different from the sea.

"Don't gape too much, Miss Evans." James told her icily, leading the way up the dock, with Lily and Sirius hurrying to catch up. "Do you know where any clothes shops are Sirius?"

As the two men talked Lily gazed right and left, trying to not get lost or stumble. The buildings began rising up from the beach and she stared at their windows as the dust the rolled around. Dust and dirt. There wasn't any dirt on the pirate ship, Lily marveled to herself, surprised at how much she'd missed even the dust stinging her eyes.

There were carts rolling around, and stands, and many, many people. She saw a run down house with women standing out front, colored heavily with make-up. A drunk man staggered around them and they all let out a pierced laugh. Lily saw Sirius glance towards them with an interested look, but then continue to follow James. Like a loyal dog, Lily thought with an amused smile.

They continued to steadily weave through the groups of people that walked up the street. As each person walked by her, Lily caught a new scent, rich and warm or dark and cold. She huddled closer to James and Sirius' back, but neither seemed to notice her until Sirius pulled them to a stop in front of a small store.

Wooden poles held up an overhang, and wanted posters were tacked to some of the poles. Lily saw the two pirates take a quick glance at the nearest poster and wondered if they were looking for themselves. Vain of them, Lily thought mildly.

She gazed up at the sign, the painting was wearing down, but she could faintly make out "Madam Bluemberg's Clothes for Ladies". Lily bit her lip and glanced in the window, catching sight of many different fabrics hanging from the walls. She looked back at James who was nodding his approval.

"Ladies doesn't mean breeches and shirts." Lily reminded him.

James glared at her. "I'm sure there's some 'lady' who would wear breeches and a common shirt."

Lily rolled her eyes. "You don't know the ladies of the court." She muttered under her breath. If James heard he chose to ignore her comment, instead he turned to Sirius.

"Are you-" He began before Sirius cut him off with a large smirk across his lips.

"If you don't mind, mate, I think I'll go…observe the opposite gender in its native environment." Sirius sent a wink Lily's way before running off into the crowd.

Lily bit back a laugh. "I bet I know where he's going." She said aloud.

James glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, the corner of his mouth quirked slightly. "Anywhere where there's women and drink." He agreed. He nodded his head toward the store. "Come on, let's get this over with."

There was silence when they opened the door. The fresh smell of untouched cloth drifted into Lily's senses as she faintly heard the sound of James closing the door behind them. He stepped up beside her, and together they gazed at the room full of cloth and clothes, dresses and any other garment that Lily could imagine. She spotted a row of pants against the far wall and felt James' pointed, smug look.

There was banging from behind the counter that stood near the center of the room. A large woman came out from behind it, her blond hair pulled back and her wide face twisted in a serious expression. "Yes?" She asked them, as though it wasn't worth her time.

Lily swallowed. She wasn't accustomed to talking to common people, her father and uncle usually hadn't allowed it. She'd always been forced to shop with at least a maid or two, to speak to the shopkeeper and help pick out suitable dresses. And that was only if she was allowed to shop for her own clothes at all. Lily had always wondered if it would've been different had her mother survived her pregnancy, would she have been a different person, and whether the rules would have changed. James' voice broke into Lily's thoughts. Unlike her he seemed to have no trouble talking to anyone, or letting it known what he wanted.

"She needs at least a pair of breeches and a shirt. Preferably two." James told the woman shortly.

The woman looked Lily over from her head to her toes, as though she was examining one of her own gowns. "A dress would fit better." The woman commented.

Lily glanced at James and found the pirate setting his mouth as though what the woman had pointed out made him uneasy. Lily winced at James' tone in his reply. "A dress would also get torn on a ship. Breeches and a shirt." He demanded. The woman shrugged as though she was used to difficult pirates, which might've not been far from the truth, and grabbed Lily's arm, pulling her over.

"Open." She commanded, and Lily knew enough about clothes shopping to open her arms and let the woman measure her. The length of cloth that the woman used to measure her leg length and torso, and the mumbling of the woman were the only movements or sounds. James stood off to the side, watching, and Lily stood like a tree, opening her arms and letting the woman measure her again.

The woman finally dropped the measuring cloth and Lily dropped her arms simultaneously. "Come on, dearie. I've got a few garments in your size." The woman began ushering Lily toward a row of cloth. James grabbed Lily's wrist and she paused, staring up at him until James pressed a couple coins in her palm, releasing her.

"Pay her with this. I'll wait outside." James turned and opened the door. He was out in the street, the door shutting in his wake, before Lily could nod her understanding.

James loafed outside the shop, casually leaning against a pole, his eyes watching each passing person, each solitary shop. People bustled past him, barely casting James a second glance. Not that he minded, the less attention the better.

A couple of younger women strutted up the road. Their makeup brought out every detail in their slowly thinning faces, their dresses fell casually off their shoulders, though the cloth fit snugly along the rest of them. James knew they were heading back to the pub they'd passed earlier. Part of him wondered if these woman hadn't already been acquainted with Sirius, even in the short time they'd been at port.

The women, there were four of them, paused in front of him. James shifted his weight, crossing his arms across his chest. The women giggled at him and waved while their dresses dropped another inch or two. James fought his instinctive urge to turn away in disgust. Instead he allowed them the satisfaction of thinking a man was interested in them. His eyes glanced over each one.

None of the women stood out to him as a real beauty. One was missing teeth. The hair of another was missing a chunk. All of them were so skinny they resembled merely a bag of bones. The colors of their hair, skin, eyes, and lips all blended together in dull colors, nothing bright and catching like red or green, James told himself, biting his lip. James came to the assumption that none of these women had had a good paid night in a long while. He gave them a smirk before averting his eyes.

The women knew when they'd lost their audience, and James heard them walking away, muttering amongst themselves.

Slowly he let out a breath, closing his eyes. A voice that sounded strangely like Sirius' berated him inside his head.

"Four of them, James. Four! They weren't perfect but no one is! Four of them!"

"I _don't_ wench." James mumbled to the voice and a passing man glanced at him queerly. James ignored the look and turned his back on the upper street, glancing at the numerous papers that covered the wooden poles. Proclamations from the king, new laws, and of course, the pirates. Wanted posters, signed by the king himself, for every pirate who had committed enough crimes. James hadn't seen himself on one yet, but after his stunt of 'stealing' the Duke's daughter he didn't think it would be for too much longer.

Out of the corner of his eyes James saw a poster that caused his throat to catch. He couldn't read as well as any scholar, but he knew enough to make out most of what the posters. James reached out and snatched it down from the pole, his eyes studied the name and as James realized that he had been right in his assumption, he had to fight the urge to throw up. He couldn't make out most of what the rest of the poster said, but he could place a bet that it wasn't good. James' mind raced ahead of him. I'll have to tell-

"James!" Sirius stumbled through the crowd and sagged against James, who'd barely finished his thought with 'Sirius and Remus'. James quickly stuffed the paper away inside his clothing, pulling Sirius off him.

"Sirius? What are you doing?" James asked his friend.

Sirius gasped for a breath. "I just want to tell you right off that I had no idea and it was pure mistake."

James stomach dropped at the look on his friend's face. "What did you do?" He asked, his voice shaking uncertainly.

"There was a girl." James stomach dropped even further, if it was possible. "She was real beauty James, golden locks and these eyes-" Shouts from somewhere in the crowd caused Sirius to pause and glance around.

"What did you do!" James demanded again.

Sirius looked back at his friend with wide, apologizing eyes. "She was with some English soldiers…I didn't think it would be problem but….well they didn't see it that way." Sirius paused again, swallowing. James glanced over Sirius' shoulder and thought he could make out red coats pushing through the crowd towards them.

"Damn it, Sirius-" James began when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He whirled around and found Lily standing there, dressed in one new pair of breeches and a button up shirt that fit her much snugger and better than her others had. In her arms she also held her old clothes and another new set.

"I have a new…" Her voice stopped at the look on his face. "What's wrong?" She asked, glancing at Sirius who was looking over his shoulder.

James caught sight of the soldiers who had almost broken through the crowd. He looked back at Lily. "Run!" He ordered her and the three of them bolted, Sirius in the lead.

Sirius, James, and Lily shoved through the crowd, sending people careening into the walls of the shops. Sirius leapt over a barrel and landed hard in the dirt. A group of wenches were standing at the corner and he paused to smirk at them. James grabbed his arm and wrenched him away as the shouts of the soldiers grew closer.

"No dawdling unless you want to be full of holes." James ordered as Sirius swung around to catch up. Lily had dropped her other pair of new clothes along the way and was fighting to keep up with the longer strides of James and Sirius.

"What happened!" Lily shouted at James as she ducked under an overhang.

"Worry about it later!" James ordered her, swinging around a pole to fall hard in the dust on the other side of a store as a shot ricocheted off the wall. He pulled himself up and rushed up the street. Another shot kicked up dust at James' heels, and yet another broke off a chunk of another store. James spotted a space in between the next two stories. He grabbed Lily's waist and yanked her between the two stores, slamming his back against one of the stores as the shots echoed into the thin air. Sirius dove next to them, on the ground and scrambling.

James scanned their location, realizing they were in an alley. Noticing barrels and wood pieces piled against the other store that proved as a wall for the alley, James pulled Lily with him as he moved to hide behind the barrels. Lily pulled out of his grasp and sat down hard on the ground, leaning her back against the storm, her cheek close to the wooden barrier of barrels.

James sat down next to her, with Sirius coming over to be next to him. James chest heaved as he fought to keep his breath, and his sanity. There were yells and more shots, and he felt Lily shift against him.

Sirius glanced toward the back of the alley and noticed a looming wall that stretched from the back of one store to the back of the other. He swallowed hard and leaned over to James. "It's a dead end." Wincing he added. "No pun intended."

With his mind racing, James glanced around and studied the length of the alley. James eyes caught sight of a small door on one wall that led through one store and out the other side. James glanced and Sirius and nodded his head toward it. "No such thing." James replied. Sirius took in the door and nodded. Peaking around the barrel he ducked as he heard a yell and glanced at James.

"Go." Mouthed James. Sirius winked at him and scrambled along the wall to the door. He shoved it open with his shoulder and ducked inside. James moved away from Lily slowly, not daring to draw the attention from the soldiers who were gong to be searching the wood pile any moment. They weren't lying far from the door, thankfully, and he barely had to move a foot to get close enough to it. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Lily, her eyes were staring at the barrels that shielded her from the path outside.

James paused, his eyes watching her steadily. Thick red hair was falling about her shoulder, and the new clothes she'd gotten were already dirty from the run. As a yell reached his ears, James saw Lily tense against the building and something cold gripped James' body and he leaned toward her. His breath tickled her ear as he spoke. "English guards. You're uncle's guards to be more specific."

Lily jumped slightly and looked at James, keeping her silence. Afraid that any noise would alert their pursuers.

James was mulling things over out loud. "My guess is that your father would've told your uncle what happened. And every soldier would know you if they saw you. He probably described you to every soldier just in case." James swallowed and fell silent for a moment as he heard closer voices. His hands that rested on the ground shook as he spoke. Part of him felt like if he stayed a moment more he'd be on the next ship to England for a lynching.

Lily continued to retain her silence and a bullet kicked up sand nearby. James' nerves peaked and he hurried on with his thoughts, keeping his eyes locked with Lily's. "If you stayed here for maybe a minute or two more, those soldiers would come to check if Sirius is around. And when they do, if they saw you, they'd probably put you on the first ship back to the castle, to your father."

Lily's eyes sparked at James' words as she realized their truth. James swallowed hard and watched as Lily glanced at the barrier of barrels again. He'd lost her eye contact and James scooted closer to the door, his mouth dry. "After all." James breathed toward her. "There're not after you. They're after a pirate."

Lily's mind was racing as she thought about James' words. Home, her father. She glanced and saw James, sitting there his face was blank as he watched her. The look in his eyes told her that he knew exactly was she was going to do. She would wait there instead of escaping and go home. A strange feeling crept into Lily's stomach as she realized this, and she took a breath as she watched the pirate captain.

James studied her face, knowing her choice even before he'd mentioned the obvious to her. He swallowed again and scooted toward the door, feeling Lily's eye watching his face. She'll be gone and I won't have to worry about it, James thought to himself. As another shot hit nearby, James grabbed the door and scrambled through it, not looking back at Lily. As he shut the door and stumbled toward the path to the docks he forced his brain to concentrate on the fact that if he dawdled he'd be losing his skin.

Lily saw James leave, and felt him leave her. Another shout came from nearby, but Lily's sureness had left her, and an uneasiness had replaced it. She studied the dirt next to her that was probably still warm from where James and Sirius had been sitting. Then she glanced up again at the barrier, hearing the sound of boots on dirt. As she listened her fists clenched the dry dirt against her palms.

-----------------------

James rushed up the boarding plank and leapt over the side of the ship. Remus rushed up to him.

"What happened James? Sirius came back babbling something about soldiers and then you didn't show up and-" Remus glanced around. "Where's Lily?" He asked, his voice sounded worried.

James blinked at his friend. "She made a choice." He grunted. Remus' eyes widened and James felt as though his friends eyes were piercing him with a sharper blade than any sword. James rushed on, preventing Remus from asking anything more. "Get the men out and get this ship sea-worthy. I want to get out of this port now before those soldiers decide to come looking for Sirius on the ships."

Remus, his eyes fixed like wood, nodded. "Yes, Captain." He ran off, calling to the men.

James stalked across the deck, yelling to the crew, ordering the sails opened, the ropes cut. His breath was coming faster than normal, his chest was tight as he ordered the crew. James glimpsed Sirius pulling at a line and made a mental note to have a talk with his friend about approaching women in the future.

Not like I have much experience in that area, James amended to himself. He glanced along the ship, and saw no flash of red. James ran a hand through his hair. Lily had stayed, he hadn't seen her get on the ship, so she must've stayed and then was taken by the English soldiers. She was probably on her way to a ship to take her to her father by now.

Good, James thought to himself, it'll be one less thing for me to worry about. She was just in the way. James shook his head to rid himself of the emptiness the words left in his brain, and waited as the ship moved out of the dock and toward the sea. The salty sea breeze ruffled his hair and James inhaled it with gusto.

He turned and ran into a member of the crew head on. James stumbled back, wincing. "Sorry about that, mate." He muttered.

"It's okay." The voice replied. James head snapped up at the voice and his eyes widened as he took in her red hair and green eyes.

"M-miss Ev-vans?" He stuttered.

Lily blinked at him and he could've sworn that he saw a small smile pulling at her lips. "Yes?"

"You…you're on the ship?"

"Obviously." She replied. That small smile was taunting him, at least James thought so.

"You didn't go with the guards…you got back on the ship…" James knew he was stating the obvious, and was asking pointless questions. Unless Lily knew how to be in two places at once then she was definitely standing in front of him. Or maybe he was dreaming, though he seriously doubted that. "I don't…understand…" He faded off. "How did you not get lost?" He wondered halfheartedly.

Lily ignored the last question and raised her eyebrows in a challenge. "I keep my contracts, James Potter. Where would my honor be if I didn't." It was rhetorical, James knew it as Lily turned and disappeared below deck. James took a couple steps backward and found Remus come up beside him.

"James…are you okay?" Remus asked his friend.

James looked at him. "She kept her contract." He sounded astounded. "Miss-" James shook his head and began again. "Lily kept her contract…" Mumbling this James walked off, leaving Remus standing to stare after him.

-----------------------

James jumped to his feet, the pale lights of the sunset had dimmed his cabin. Sirius paused in the doorway, and a curious Remus watched him. James breath heaved as a drop of sweat fell from his face. He had tried to fall asleep in his cabin after they'd returned to sea, if only to escape the ship wreck his mind seemed to be in since he'd seen Lily return to the ship. But his dreams offered him no such mercy, and neither did his sudden headache.

He blinked at Sirius and Remus who had closed the door and come up to the desk. "Bad dream?" Sirius asked him mildly.

James' thoughts mixed together as he replayed what had happened earlier that day in the port. "I wish." He muttered to himself. Groaning he put his head in his hands. "My head hurts." He told them.

Remus picked up an empty bottle that smelled strongly of rum. Making a face he looked at James. "I have an idea as to why." He murmured.

Sirius looked at James. "You hardly ever drink. What brought the change?"

James shrugged. "I just…needed a drink." He muttered. Shaking his head he stood up and faced his window, focusing on the setting sun. He winced slightly when another pound in his head interrupted his thoughts. "I thought it would help, it only made matters worse. And Lily and that wanted poster aren't helping either." He added.

Remus' raised his head and set down the rum bottle. "What wanted poster?" He asked.

James turned and dug inside his shirt, pulling out the slightly crumpled paper. As he held it out Sirius snatched it from his hands and scanned it over. Looking up Sirius smiled sheepishly. "Well I can't make heads or tails of it." He informed them.

Rolling his eyes, Remus took the paper and scanned it over, his eyes widening in surprise. "Riddle." He breathed loudly.

Sirius froze and James nodded his head slightly as Remus continued. "Captain Tom Riddle, wanted for crimes against the crown."

"What does it say below that?" Sirius asked and James watched, interested.

"Just that he's wanted for the robbing of English ships." Remus' eyes went even wider. "He was in that port barely a week ago."

"Pity we missed him." Sirius muttered sarcastically.

"He murdered two English soldiers." Remus told them.

"They wouldn't have been the first." James ventured, glancing out the window again.

Sirius snatched the paper from Remus and glanced over it, even though he couldn't distinguish what he was saying. "The King is offering a pretty sum of money for Riddle's capture."

"Don't get any ideas." James warned. "In case you've forgotten…in this game, we're the mice, not the cat."

Sirius looked aggravated. "I hate being the mouse." He muttered to his breath.

"How did Riddle get in front of us?" Remus asked. "He's always been on our tail, not us on his."

James shrugged. "Maybe in the storm…."His voice faded and he rubbed his chest, pausing when he felt the medallion against his skin.

Remus watched James' face change as he touched the gold piece. "A weight on your chest?" He asked slowly.

James' let a small smile play on his lips. "Would you expect there not to be?" He challenged. "I have the most feared and ruthless pirate after me because I have something Riddle feels belongs to him. He'll chase me until he gets it, and isn't going to rest until I'm lying dead on the deck." James spat bitterly.

Sirius winced at the thought. "Who would think a key could be that important." He muttered to no one in particular. "James….do you think maybe, if we just gave him the key….maybe he'd not kill us?"

James shook his head and pulled the key out from under his shirt to look at. "He wants us dead as much as he wants the key. He'll either force us to give it to him and then kill us, or take it off my dead body." A cold laugh came from his lips. "Either way, we're dead and doomed."

Sirius looked depressed. "That's a positive way to look at it."

"I wouldn't think you'd want to give up the treasure for anything." James told his friend.

Sirius shrugged. "We're giving him the key to the treasure….and I'd rather live to get a couple more drinks and wenches under my belt."

Silence fell over the cabin until Remus sighed. "So…we continue doing what we are doing then."

James nodded his agreement. "We run until one day he catches up to us, and then we fight."

"Are you worried?" Sirius asked James.

James licked his cracked lips, trying to forget his past nightmares. "I'll be more worried when I see the whites of his eyes looking at me from his blasted ship."

Remus glanced at Sirius. Both knew James hardly got any sleep, and that the nightmares he never spoke could only come from Captain Tom Riddle. Just thinking of the pirate sent chills down their spines, but neither had ever had to speak to Riddle, to try and face him. James had, once, and that day had haunted him every waking moment.

"One day." James murmured and his friends watched him. "One day I'll find out which snake told Riddle that I had the key. And I'll kill him." James said it so matter-of-factly, so assured, that neither Sirius or Remus doubted it for a moment. The only thing that worried them was the black fact that the three of them had thought that apart from James, only Remus and Sirius knew where he'd gotten it, and how. Apparently they'd been wrong,

---------------------------------

James opened the door to his cabin, the brisk night air felt calming to his uneasy senses. Leaning he softly closed the door behind him. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, the light from the stars and the almost full moon gave him plenty of light.

Once again he hadn't been able to sleep, but this time it wasn't from nightmares, unless one considered a certain red-head girl a nightmare. It was a point that James was at the moment debating within himself. The fact that she had returned when offered the perfect opportunity to get free not only baffled James, it frustrated him. How could one girl be so unpredictable?

Letting out a long breath James glanced around the barren ship. There was no movement on the landing but James knew someone was watching the wheel. He turned his head upwards, glancing at the crows' nest, and then letting his gaze rest on each star that brightened the black sky. As he gazed, unblinking at the sky, a sound of cloth moving caught his ears. Dropping his eyes, James focused on the person leaning against the rail.

In the dim moonlight James noticed red hair, and even though her back was toward him, James knew it was Lily.

Slowly he walked closer to her. She didn't turn and face him so James stopped only when he was standing against the rail, next to her. Her eyes stayed focused on the open ocean and James leaned his elbows against the rail.

The sea wind ruffled James' hair and pulled at his thin shirt. Lily's slender fingers twirled the ends of her hair and James heard her slow breaths, her chest rose and fell steadily. Suddenly the calm silence the night had once offered him left James in a gust, replaced with an edginess. Glancing down at Lily he took a breath. "Something weighing down your mind?" He asked slowly. James noticed her eyes dart toward him and then return to staring at the water.

"No….nothing…." Her voice was wary, too wary for James' liking. He turned, still leaning against the rail, to look at her. She was thinking about something, he knew. And it was bothering her, as much as his thoughts were bothering him. She wouldn't have been up in the middle of the night if she didn't have something to think about, James knew that for a fact. He gritted his teeth against his own thoughts..

Crossing his arms, James let a small chuckle escape his lip. He wanted to know what she was thinking about, and by the seas he would find out. "You're a hard one to place, Lily Evans." He spoke smoothly.

Lily's eyes flashed as she turned to look at him. "I don't know what you mean." She replied, watching him closely.

James shook his head. "You make no logical sense. Everything you do is the opposite of what a sensible person would." Lily crossed her arms across her chest. James threw up his hands. "Honestly, what sort of person passes up their only opportunity to go home? Especially when handed to them on a silver platter!"

Lily groaned and turned away. James moved over and stood in front of her, blocking her path. "Tell me, what sort of person turns away and runs back to something they hate?"

"I already told you why." Lily growled at him, her fists were clenched against her pants.

"A contract? That's a pathetic excuse." James continued on. "If I was in your shoes, no contract on earth would make me pass up an opportunity like the one those soldiers presented. If I was given even the smallest path to freedom I would take it." James felt furious, and he didn't have a clue in the world why it bothered him so much. He also didn't know whether it bothered him more that Lily was on the ship, or the fact that she had come back with some unknown reason.

Lily looked at him steadily. "You act like you wanted me to leave." She said, her voice wavered and James blinked at her.

"I didn't say that." He replied before he could think through his words. Astonishment filled his brain as he realized what he'd said. Lily raised and eye at him and James forced his face into a frown. "But I didn't not say it." He reminded her.

"Ugh!" Lily let out a noise and turned away from James. He grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn back and face him. "Why can't you accept the fact that I keep my promises? I know it's hard for a lying pirate to understand-" Lily began.

"Excuse me, I keep all my promises." James seethed at her.

Lily glared at him, her voice hard. "As do I." She returned. "I signed the contract and I intend to keep it, until you decide to break it."

James laughed and let go of her arm. He leaned his side against the rail again. "I don't break my contracts."

Lily pushed her hair behind her shoulder. "And people don't pass up opportunities to go home." She told him softly.

James blinked at her and then rolled his eyes. His mind was buzzing, no more settled than it had been before their conversation. Why did everyone talk in riddles when faced with the truth? He wondered to himself. Lily turned her face away from him, but didn't leave. He turned his eyes and watched her as she stood against the black tapestry of the night, her red hair like a beacon in the darkness. "What about your father?" James asked her and he found green eyes looking at him intently. "Don't you miss him?"

"What sort of question is that?" Lily asked him hotly. "Of course I do!"

"Then why didn't you go back for him? Don't you think he's miserable?" James questioned. Any other time he would have said such a thing to make the receiver nervous or guilty, but this time he was really interested in what Lily's answer would be. Lily looked away from him again, her hair fell against her face, shielding if from James' prying gaze.

James swallowed and leaned closer to her. "Do you think he would've approved of your actions?" He went on. "Choosing not to go home, to return to a pirate ship?"

Lily let out a dry laugh and looked at James. "Probably not." She admitted. James smirked at her and Lily narrowed her eyes in challenge. "Would your parents have approved of you being a pirate?" She demanded.

James eyes turned distant as his face paled. He turned his face staring out to the sea. Lily watched as his eye's gained a far off look. "I…I don't know." James said slowly. Lily watched him in concentration, wondering where the far off look had come from.

James shook his head. Why am I wondering this much? He silently asked the sea, hardly aware that Lily was standing there. Possible answers presented itself, but all sounded too much like Remus or Sirius to him, and so he buried them deeper in his mind.

Lily frowned. James seemed to be worrying about why she had come back too much, and it made her almost nervous. He didn't look like the Captain Potter from earlier. And ever since he'd seen her come back on the ship, he was acting like he'd seen a ghost, which she obviously wasn't.

James turned his back on the sea, pulling his dagger from his belt and twirling it between his fingers. Lily tried to focus on the sea, or the sky, but found that the knife was much more interesting to watch. Her eyes strayed towards James, and if he noticed, all he did to show it was twirl the knife faster. It seemed as though his hands were doing it all without him thinking about it, like it was merely a nervous habit.

Suddenly he caught the blade in one hand and let the dagger fly, watching as it pierced the wall of the ship. Lily's eyes widened, staring at the slightly vibrating knife. It had hit the direct center of the knot in the wood. She was so intent on staring at it, she didn't notice James glance at her from the corner of his eye, or the small smile that turned his lips upward.

James stepped forward and pulled the dagger from the wood. Turning back to Lily he watched her slowly. Lily returned his gaze levelly and James' mind settled into a single idea. The words he'd said to Remus before they'd left for port had been true, and what Remus had told him had proved true as well. It might've been time to change his opinion, James concluded. At least if her reason for coming back was a truthful one.

He reached out his hand, holding out the dagger, blade end first. "Want to try?" He asked her.

Lily gaped at him. "I….what!"

"Do you want to give it a throw?" James repeated, watching her calmly.

Lily blinked her eyes at him, having the impression of being smacked written across her face. "I don't think….I don't know how." She finished slowly.

James shrugged, his eyes sparkling at her. "I'll show you. Here." He took her right hand and placed the knife blade in it, keeping his hand around hers. "Grip it with your thumb and forefinger." Numbly, Lily did as he instructed, barely aware he was standing behind her. "Pull it back, and let it go right as you reach your shoulder." He guided her hand back and then let it go forward.

Lily felt the dagger leave her fingers and stared as she saw it hit not far from James' mark. "Not bad for a beginner." James told her, dropping his hand from hers. She stared dumbly at him. Had he given her a real compliment? And where had their previous conversation gone? Was he just going to accept what she'd said? And why had he shown her how to throw the knife?

James went and wrenched the knife out of the wall before returning to her. "With practice you might be decent at it." He told her slowly. Lily smiled her thanks. James bit his lip, as though processing what he was about to do. "Here, take it." He handed her the dagger, this time handle first." When Lily only stared at him he pushed the dagger into her hands and closed her fingers around it. "Keep it. You'll never know when it might come in handy." He told her slowly.

Lily stared at the silver blade and black and gold handle. "Won't you need this?" She asked James, who had backed up until he was going in the direction of his cabin.

He smirked at her. "I wouldn't be a good pirate if I didn't have ate least a couple more of those." He turned and reached for the door to his cabin.

"Captain Potter." She stopped him. "You…you're letting me have a weapon…of my own." None of it made sense to her. If he didn't trust her going to port earlier, then why would he give her a weapon that she could use against him if she chose?

James bright eyes answered her questions, asked and unasked, without him having to utter a word. Turning he disappeared into his cabin as Lily tightened her grip on the dagger, watching his door, her brow furrowed in thought. He hadn't had to say "I trust you", Lily knew it when he'd let her keep the dagger. Captain James Potter, if only a little, had actually managed to trust her.

* * *

Do you think the ending was too fast? I dunno about it. But anway to clear a few things up: The medallionkey. They're just being more specific about what to call it now, I hope that didn't confuse anyone. If anything else did let me know. Part of me feels like I put this chapter out too soon, but we'll see I guess. 

It'll be a little while before I get to update again. I have so much homework it's not even funny (well homework is never really funny anyway but you get my point). So you'll have to be patient in waiting for another update. In the meantime please please review! It'll help out a lot :) Thanks guys!


	10. Midnight Stroll

Hey everyone. I am sooooooo sorry for the long wait. I had homework, the SAT, Junior Paper, and a stress level that seemed to get higher everytime I went to school. Sounds fun, no? Anyway, again I'm sorry for the long wait and I hope that this chapter is worth it. I did my best on it. :) 

Thanks to all my reviewers:

**JPx3LE**-Thanks so much, I'm glad the ending was just the right pace for you.

**Rylie D**-I totally agree, being on a pirate ship would be more fun. He does trust her..sort of..but you are probably going to hate me after this chapter, because that trust becomes an issue for James. Hopefully you'll still like the chapter though.

**Icedshardz**-I'm sorry this wasn't as fast an update. So I guess my "good luck" would be kind of out of date...but a belated "good luck" to you. :)

**Michela**- I'll admit it that I actually went and looked up the words "appropos" and "vernacular" after reading your review...that might sound lame. I'm glad you liked it and hope you enjoy this chapter as well. :)

**messyblackhair66**-hehe the falling in love will happen soon. James starts to realize it in this chapter sort of, but he gets distracted by other things and sort of pushes it away. But it will happen, do not fear.

**BrazilianPrincess**-Ironically I let one of my friends read this story and she asked me when James and Lily were going to kiss as well. She was disappointed in teh answer I gave her. :) It will come I promise it. And trust is something James is leaning toward. The chapter after this one it will be much more secured that he trusts her.

**shortyroc**-Hope you enjoy this chapter and it was worth the long wait :) More Lily/James interaction in it too

**sncaggie**-Glad you liked it, hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

**james-s2-lily**-hehe glad you liked it. And homework should be banned...actually my English teacher is not giving us homework for the next like month because she wants to see if we really need it...i'm happy, it'll give me more time to write.

**Tansiana**-Thanks, hope you enjoy this and sorry for the wait.

**marauder-chick101**-lol i'm glad. Hope you continue to love it after this update :)

**Sweena**-lol, love is getting there, trust is as well. James is working towards it slowly but surely :)

**opalshine**- hehe I said this before, one of my friends asked me this as well. They will eventually is all I will say. But it's not going to be for awhile runs and hopes no one is throwing tomatoes for the horrible answer :)

**magicXheart-**Thank you. You will find out what the "treasure" is (or isn't) in the next chapter...promise :)

**Ravie Grint**-sorry about the wait. I hope that you enjoy this chapter as well.

**amythestpony**-eventually the romance, for now i think friendship would benifit these two well...hehe but romance is coming very shortly. And I am enjoying writing it very much, I'm talking through it as I walk my dog each morning...you'd be amazed at how many odd looks i've gotten. lol

**hermy permy**-Thank you, enjoy this update :)

**EmilyEB**-Thanks for the support. And I'm glad you liked the Riddle tie in.

**eternal-charmer**-questions questions. Okay um...lets see..you find out a little about Lily's family in this chapter, but what i don't say, and I don't because i couldn't find a way for either character to say it or initiate it, is that Lily is an only child. It's sort of implied but not very well. Lily's father will eventually be back, much later on. Lily's reasoning, for now, is that it was the contract. Later on the reasons will change I think. James' past is coming up. So far I think that there's some towards later chapters, i can't remember exactly what chapters but I know it's coming up soon. Hope those were good answers, enjoy this chapter.

**Jessi-Black33**-Thank you so much. I'm glad you like the story and I hope that you enjoy this chapter as well.

**gERMaNgIrL678**-James is a bit flirty in this chapter, but not a lot. They will get flirty soon, after this chapter and chapter 11. Bear with me. :)

**caroline**-I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and thank you so much for the compliment. I hope you continue to like the story :)

**DolphinDeamer24-7**-Hope you'll be able to get on the computer at your house soon. :) Glad you liked it, thanks for the review.

**Anna**-Thanks a bunch, I'm glad you enjoyed the wenches and development. Hope you enjoy this chapter (lots of rum in this one :) )

**angelofmynightmare**-Kissing will happen eventually...you'll just have to be patient. I'm sorry. I hope you like this chapter though, even though there is a lack of kissing :)

**Nika**-well there will be plenty of tension later on in this chapter...hehe...I'm glad you like it :)

**Darkness carrier**-I'm so sorry for the long wait, and hopefully you'll still want to read it even with the long wait (and that it's not too disappointing) I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your compliment. Reading things like that really makes me want to write even more.

**TigerLily18**-Thank you so much. I'm glad you liked it and hopefully you'll like this chapter too.

**Delilah Evans**-much happens next. lol

**LilyProngs**-The key and Riddle will be coming up later (ch 11 and ch 13 if i'm not mistaken). Not much action and adventure for awhile though, unless you classify something actiony different than I do. However I hope you enjoy it all the same. I'm glad you've liked it thus far, and I apologize for the wait.

**michelin**-Thanks, hope you enjoy

**story-angel**-Thank you very much.

**lonelyaddict**- I'm glad you liked my story, and thank you for the compliments. I do try. :) Hopefully i'll be able to keep it at the steady pace. Enjoy this chapter as I hope you will.

Whew, I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story so much, and again, sorry for the long wait. But finally, here we go!

**Disclaimer**: If you recognize the names then it's not mine, everything else (the storyline and Cook included) are mine.

* * *

Chapter 10-Midnight Stroll

James groaned and rolled over on his stomach, the sheet ruffling underneath him, his cheek pressed into the pillow. Slowly he cracked open his eyes, noticing the dim light that danced along the cabin, slightly filtered by the drapes hanging across the window. James' arms tightened around the pillow and he winced as he felt the key under his pillow scrape against his hand.

Stupid trinket, he thought moodily, pulling his hand back, but remaining in his bed. How early it was, James didn't care. Sirius and Remus were next in charge for a reason. And besides, being Captain gave him some special privileges. James decided he was going to make full use of his ability to stay in bed a moment or two more.

A second later when the door of his cabin banged open, James realized he hadn't informed Sirius of his privilege, and immediately began to regret it as Sirius stopped beside his bed. James barely turned his head to look up at his friend.

"Oh, so you are awake." Sirius' voice was laced with amusement. "A bit tired are we, James my boy?"

James rolled his eyes and turned his face into his pillow, muffling his voice. "Not all of us have the energy worthy of three bottles of rum in the morning!"

Sirius cocked an eye. "Three bottles in the morning? No wonder you don't want to get out of bed." As he chuckled, James groaned into his pillow.

"Do you plan to let me sleep any more?" James asked into his pillow.

Sirius shrugged. "Depends…do you plan on acting on your responsibilities as Captain?"

James looked up, glaring at his smirking first mate, recognizing defeat when he saw it. "Fine." James pushed his way out of the bed, pausing in the middle of the room, dressed only in a pair of black pants. He ran his hand through his hair and glanced around the room. "Where's my shirt?" He mumbled.

Sirius grabbed a white shirt off the desk and tossed it at James' face. "I'd swear you needed glasses!" He teased James.

James glared as he pulled the shirt over his head, leaving it half unbuttoned, his hair messier than it had been. "Stuff it, Sirius." James growled, snatching one boot from its place at the foot of his bed, and then scanning the room to find his other boot.

Sirius handed James the other boot, then waltzed over to the window where he shoved open the drapes. James winced as the light burned his eyes. "Sirius for the love of-"

"Remus was a bit worried when you didn't show up at your normal bright and early hour." Sirius went on, leaning against the wall as James shoved his feet into each boot. "And I'll admit I was as well. Normally you're up at the first ray of light, even before." James inwardly validated Sirius' statement. His early rising was usually due to nightmares waking him early and holding sleep hostage from him. When James began to think about it he couldn't remember having any nightmares the night before, as a matter of fact he hadn't been having nightmares for the past couple of nights, ever since he'd spoken with Lily. As he started to mull over the strangeness of his dreamless nights, James nearly missed what Sirius said next.

"My first guess of course was that you'd let your mouth run away with you and said something to Lily, resulting in her shoving you overboard." James shot a glare at his friend but the look went unnoticed as Sirius had begun to dig around in a cabinet. A moment latter he pulled away from the opened door with an unopened bottle of rum, which Sirius promptly opened. "Remus was against this idea, and suggested we go find Lily and ask her."

"I'll have to thank Remus for the support." James replied coolly, trying to flatten his hair against his forehead. "And as interesting as your monologue is, Sirius, get to the point." James grumbled.

Sirius chuckled and took a drink from the bottle of rum. "So we discovered Miss Evans in her bedchamber"- James snorted, hardly believing one could call the small cabin Lily slept in a 'bedchamber'-"practicing with a very handsome looking knife." Sirius shot James a pointed look and James knew the knife would become a point of later discussion.

"Remus asked Lily when the last time she saw you was and she said it was three nights ago. The night when you two had a 'conversation'." After taking another gulp of rum, Sirius continued, fixing an impatient James with a look. "Imagine my surprise when she said 'conversation'….not 'fight' or 'argument' but 'conversation'. As though it was a civil talk among friends." Sirius paused for a moment and James opened his mouth to make an argument, but Sirius again beat him to it. "Not to mention she has your _favorite knife_ on her belt. And that she claimed you just _gave_ it to her." Sirius brought the rum to his mouth and James took his chance at his preoccupation.

Walking past Sirius to his desk, James said, "I did give it to her that night."

Sirius spluttered, choking on the rum. After a cough, he corked the bottle and set it back into the cabinet. "I beg your pardon?" He asked.

James grabbed a handful of papers off his desk and pretended to look at them. "I gave Lily the knife. After I had a conversation with her. A normal conversation with hardly any yelling….towards the end…."

Sirius blinked at his friend. "You gave Lily a lethal weapon?! After one decent conversation, and I stress one!" Sirius' voice cracked and James had to fight the urge to laugh, knowing it wouldn't have helped matters, and choosing to bite his lip instead. "You gave her a lethal weapon?! And your favorite lethal weapon, may I point out!"

James looked up annoyed at Sirius. "I have other knives you half-wit!" James pointed out.

"That is beside the point." Sirius came over and snatched the paper's out of James' hand, tossing them back on the desk. "I thought you hated Lily."

"I never said I hated her." James defended, skimming his brain to make sure he spoke the truth.

Sirius snorted. "I distinctly remember you saying something about her being an 'irritating and nosy spoiled brat'."

James shrugged. "She was."

"And she changed….in one night?!"

"Well…."James let his voice fad.

"Mark me among the confused." Sirius threw up his hands in surrender. James turned his face away and sat down in his chair, staring at his hands. "Come on James, what's gotten into you since we got back from port? I already apologized for the run-in with the soldiers…"

James chuckled. "Sirius it has nothing to do with you."

"Then what is it?" Sirius asked, sitting on the edge of the cluttered desk. "You don't give someone a knife without meaning, I may be a numb-skull half the time but even I know that. What could've possibly been going through your mind?!"

James turned his gaze to the papers lying strewn across his desk, not taking in what was written on them. "She could've run away and gone home." He replied softly. "She didn't."

"She claimed she didn't want to break a contract." Sirius pointed out.

James nodded. "Yeah…that's what she said." James mumbled to himself. "But the fact remains that she did honor the contract…she did come back…"

"So you rewarded her good behavior?" Sirius asked sarcastically.

"I recognized what she did." James scoffed, getting up and trying to meander towards the door, having had his fill of the conversation. "There's a difference."

"Ha, difference my bum." Sirius snorted, standing up as well. "You trust her now because she came back when you didn't force her. You gave up your--"

"Drop the knife, Sirius!"

"Favorite knife." Sirius finished as though James hadn't interrupted him. "People don't do things like that….you don't do things like that without a damn good reason."

"She earned it." James barked at him. "She earned some trust after coming back, Sirius."

"How much trust?" Sirius asked seriously, his face blank. "How much do you trust the girl that just the other day you were ranting about how you didn't trust her to go into port with two body guards, which would be me and you!"

James looked slightly startled. "It's just a knife." He muttered under his breath as his chest tightened under his friend's stare. "Not enough to give her my life story."

Sirius watched his friend a moment more and then shook his head, as though he realized there wasn't any way he'd be able to understand. "All right mate, just as long as.."

"When haven't I known what I'm doing?" James questioned, smirking.

Sirius shrugged. "Did you know what you were doing when you signed Lily to a contract?"

James paused, groping for words and finding none. "You were all for the idea." James pointed out, finding no argument or answer for Sirius' earlier words.

Sirius sent him a sly smile. "I'm not the captain. I can be all for any idea I want to be, but when it boils down to it, you're the one that makes the decisions."

James grumbled under his breath. "Then leave the decision making to me, Sirius. I'll decide how much I'm willing to trust Miss Evans-"

"And I'll be all for the idea, or all against it." Sirius finished. "Just don't get yourself bogged down with anything you can't get out from under." He warned before sauntering out of the cabin.

James unused voice cracked in his throat as he tried to stifle his frustrated sound. Flopping back down on his chair he leaned his head back and stared up at the ceiling. After a moment he snaked his hand around to the drawer on his desk and pulled it open. The papers inside seemed ready to burst out. He snatched the top paper and kicked the drawer shut with a snap, his earlier light mood having dissipated after his conversation with Sirius. James' eyes scanned the paper in his hands and absorbed each word down to the signature on the bottom of the contract. Finally letting his eyes rest on the red stain of blood on the bottom, blood that had been shed by the same knife Lily now wore.

-----------------

Lily clutched the dagger's blade between her fingers as she remembered James doing. Pulling her arm back she paused for a moment, then thrust her arm forward, reveling in how the dagger protruded from the cabin wall. Her aim had gotten better in the past three days, after practicing each morning and each night. The noticeable nicks in the cabin wall, slowly came closer to the knot on the wall she had been trying to hit.

Lily didn't know why she was working so hard to hit her designated target. Or why it had been so tempting to even start throwing the knife. The small blade felt so right in her palm, and there was the slightest hint of excitement each time she checked her aim.

Carefully, she pulled the dagger from the wall and looked it over for what must've been the hundredth time that day. Its handle was dark with a silver trim and sleek blade. Lily didn't want to think how James had gotten it, stolen it probably she thought in the back of her mind, but it had to have been worth a lot of money. Lily sat down on her bed, and ran her finger on the flat side of the blade, watching her reflection glint in the small surface. She smiled and stuck the dagger in her belt and lay down on her back, folding her hands behind her head and staring at the ceiling.

Sleep wouldn't come to her, it hadn't for the past three days, and she'd managed to content herself with practicing her aim. However Lily felt that if the energy that was pounding between her ears ever decided to leave her, she'd welcome sleep. Her eyes traced the wood panels in the ceiling. Thirty-five panels…she'd counted them the night before…and the night before that. Lily sighed and rolled on her side as her stomach growled loudly. She placed a hand on her stomach and waited as it calmed down. She glanced at the door and smiled. Well why not get a snack? Everyone else in the ship was asleep…and she was the Cook's Assistant after all. Lily sat up and stuffed her feet into her boots before slipping out the door.

She quietly walked down the corridor, careful not to make too much noise as she passed the barracks of the other men. She could hear snores behind the darkness, and quickened her pace until she was standing in front of the door to the galleys.

Lily lay her hand against the door, staring at the dim light that was streaming beneath it. Who else would be awake at this hour? Lily wondered to herself, though not even the sound of someone breathing passed through the door to her ears. Lily took a breath and let it out slowly, pushing the door open as she did so until she was standing in an open doorway, looking into the galley.

A few lit lanterns hung on the ceiling, above the three long tables, two towards the far end of the room away from the door, and another in front of the door and flanked by the wall separating the galley from the kitchen. It was on this last table that there sat another lit lantern, and a bottle of rum. Part of the bottle was already gone. And sitting, with his hand around the bottle, his messy hair falling near his eyes that were watching her closely, was James.

Lily paused, staring back at James. Though he had given her the dagger now hanging at her side, and she liked to think they had come to some understanding, Lily was not sure she could quite consider them friends.

James' hazel eyes studied her, from her new pants and shirt, to the boots, and the dagger in her belt. Slowly he smiled. "Been practicing I hear." His words weren't slurred, and his voice remained clear as always, but Lily thought she could smell the rum at the door. She glanced down and realized he was referring to the dagger. Slowly she nodded. James inclined his head thoughtfully. "I guessed as much from what Sirius said." James chuckled and took a small sip of rum before shaking his head. Lily gripped her hands in front of her, watching him curiously, wondering if he was drunk to be talking as he was.

"Made such a big deal of it, that one did." James murmured, loud enough for Lily to catch his words. "It was just a knife." Lily stiffened slightly. "Wasn't like I was telling you my life story or giving you a bouquet of flowers." James continued, taking another sip of rum.

Lily licked her lips and tried to stop her hands from shaking. The knife hanging at her side felt heavy and cold even through her shirt and pants. Just a knife is what James had said. But maybe he was drunk, he didn't normally go on about private conversations between his friends, did he? Lily turned away, feeling not the least bit hungry, but James' voice stopped her.

"Out for a midnight stroll, were you?" James asked her. Lily turned and met his eyes again, hoping her scattered mind-set wasn't visible through her green orbs.

"You could call it that I suppose. I couldn't sleep." She told him slowly, stepping up closer to the table.

James chuckled as though he found something funny. "Ironic that when I lose my nightmares you gain some."

Lily shook her head emphatically and put her hands on the table so she could lean down and let her face be more level with James'. "I didn't have any nightmares. I was just too… awake to sleep."

"Any particular reason?" James asked, innocently.

Lily decided against telling him that she couldn't sleep because she was fascinated by the knife he'd given her…after all he only thought of it as a knife. "No…none at all."

James cocked an eye at her and snorted. "You're lying." He informed her, but didn't press the subject any further, for which Lily was thankful. James glanced at the rum bottle that he held in his hand, then pushed it across the table toward Lily. "Since you're here….care for a drink?" He asked her. James watched her eyes darken with confusion and he forced himself to not take back the offer.

Lily's lip finally curled up in a half smile. "You must be drunk." She finally said.

James kept his face serious and shook his head. "I don't get drunk." He told her bluntly.

Lily looked surprised. "You're a pirate and you don't get drunk?"

James smirked at her. "It's dangerous to get drunk as captain of a ship, especially a pirate ship." He replied slowly. Grabbing a mug from the far end of the table he put it in front of her. "But you haven't answered my question yet." He pointed out.

Lily looked uneasily at the mug as James poured some rum in, laughing at her expression. "It won't kill you." He assured her, pushing the mug until it brushed her fingers. He raised the bottle of rum and took a drink. Lily made a face at the mug near her hand and sat down on the bench. Slowly she grasped the mug, and took a sip. Lily coughed and spluttered for a moment as the coarse liquid ran down her throat. When she set the mug back down James was laughing.

"You look better than Remus did after his first taste." James chuckled. Lily couldn't help but grin at him.

"Is that the initiation for becoming a pirate then? Holding down your rum?" She asked him, looking down at the little bit of rum remaining in her mug.

James' lip curled at her. "You want to be a pirate, Miss Evans? Why I never knew."

Lily laughed at him and, forgetting what was in her mug, took a drink, and quickly began coughing again. James' chuckling increased and he poured a little more rum into her mug.

"First though, you'll have to work on not coughing it up every time you take a sip." James raised his glass to hers and Lily shook her head at him, smiling as he clinked her glass with his, and took another drink.

----------------

Lily was laughing so hard she nearly fell off the bench, which made James who was watching her, laugh harder. Lily had taken James' seat on the other side of the table, and James was now seated against the wall, leaning his head back against the wooden panels. The rum bottle in James' right hand was near it's end, and so was Lily's mug, still sitting on the table top. James let out his breath, calming his laughter, and took a drink of rum, trying to hide his cough at swallowing it too quickly.

Lily sighed and leaned her back against the table, pushing her hair off her face. James draped his arm across his knee, the bottle dangling between his fingers. Silence fell between the two, though each held contented smiles. James blew his bangs off his forehead, his eyes never leaving Lily. Her face was flushed from laughing, her eyes bright, and her smile lit up her face. James smile widened slightly. She was really beautiful when she wasn't all in a huff about the contract.

James' brain came to an abrupt halt and his heart jumped painfully into his throat. Beautiful? James wondered to himself. Since when had he begun thinking of Lily, no _Miss Evans_, as beautiful? When was the last time he'd thought of any woman as beautiful? Granted the last women he'd been near were wenches with half their hair missing…or was it half their teeth? James shook his head, trying to clear his mind. Sirius' words were making his head spin, it was the only explanation James could come up with at the moment. He took another drink of rum and quickly swallowed.

Lily didn't catch James' strange motions, she was staring off as though imagining a different time, a point that was proven when she spoke up. "My cousins would have a laugh at this. Lily Evans getting drunk."

"You're hardly drunk." James reprimanded her lightly, hoping she really wasn't, because he didn't know how he'd explain that to Cook in the morning. "Sorry Cook you're assistant won't be here today because I got her bloody drunk last night!" Somehow James didn't think Cook would take it that well….neither would Remus who seemed to have taken on a somewhat protective older brother feeling toward Lily. Then what she'd said hit him. "Cousins?" He asked. "As in…the princesses?"

Lily raised an eye at him. "Yes…though the last one is only a princess because of her title, certainly not by her demeanor."

James held back his laugh. Obviously that particular cousin and Lily didn't see eye to eye. "Princess…so they're your uncle's daughters. The king's." Lily nodded and James smiled at her. "Unfortunately the king and I haven't had the honor of meeting."

Lily grinned at him. "A good thing too. I think the greeting he'd give you would be to put a noose around your neck."

James winced and swallowed for added effect even as he smiled wider. "Blunt, but very true." He replied. "Your uncle doesn't take to pirates I assume?"

"He detests them. Similar to the feelings my father now has, I'm sure." Lily answered, holding her arms.

James ignored her last comment. "How about your mother, would she approve of me?" He asked teasingly as he took another drink.

Lily's face froze for a moment and she shook her head. "I don't know really. She passed away before I could've ever asked her."

James nearly spit out his drink, but managed to swallow it just in time and stare at Lily. He'd never heard of the Duke's wife before, but he'd never thought she was dead. Biting his lip James shifted uneasily on the floor. "Ah…I beg your pardon?" He asked, feeling stupid. "Your mother is…dead?"

Lily nodded, purposefully staring at the rum bottle in James' hand instead of at his face. James had half a mind to offer her the rest of the bottle at that moment, but then Lily continued. "She died shortly after I was born. My father says she never recovered from having a child."

James swallowed hard. "But your father is the King's brother….he would've had the best midwife, the best-"

"Just because they're the best doesn't mean they can save everyone." Lily whispered, finally meeting his eyes. "Just like the best pirate in all the seven seas can't pillage every ship and have every treasure."

The image of Captain Riddle floated into his mind and James had to fight the urge to stiffen at her words. Instead he snorted and turned his head away from her face. "I'd like to see you tell him that." He muttered.

Lily straightened and watched him take another drink, then continue to stare away from her. "Him?" James ignored her. "The one you're always looking over your shoulder for?" She asked him. Her eyes didn't miss James' hand tighten around the bottle before he replied.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He coldly replied.

"Yes you do." Lily told him. "He, whoever he is, is the reason you're always looking over your shoulder on the landing, always staring at the horizon as if you expect there to be someone waiting there ready to fire a cannon at your ship. The reason fear seems to wash over you if there's a shadow on the water." James shook his head silently and Lily leaned down toward him. "Why do you look over your shoulder, James?"

The fact that she'd used his real name for the first time instead of _Captain_ or _Captain Potter_, didn't even make an impression as James turned his head and coldly replied. "I don't see how that is any of your business."

Lily moved backwards as the icy hazel eyes seemed to stab into her. James half felt guilty for the look on her face, but the guilt washed away as it always did when someone questioned him about Riddle or his uneasiness. It really wasn't any of their business, and especially not Lily's. James pulled himself to his feet, facing Lily and watching as a battle seemed to grow behind her eyes.

"I live on this ship too." She reminded him, standing up as well.

"But you're not part of the crew. And frankly, half the crew doesn't know all my secrets, and I see no reason why I should spill them all to you just because we shared a bottle of rum." James growled at her. The rum was making his head pound and his temper heat up. Maybe if he hadn't been drinking he wouldn't be overreacting as much, James concluded in the back of his head.

"I bet Sirius and Remus know all your secrets." Lily threw back at him. When James glared at her Lily knew she spoke the truth, or at least part of it.

"They have been my best friends since before I can remember, they're my brothers, the closest thing to family that a pirate like me has. They're entitled to it." James defended.

"And I'm not entitled to some trust? Some secrets? Entitled to know half of what is being hidden on this ship?!" Lily challenged.

James growled under his breath and stepped closer to her. "Giving you a knife doesn't mean I'm giving you the right to know my life story." And at that moment James realized, as his heart beat sped up, that his argument, his words, were only trying to prove his point against what Sirius had said earlier, instead of dissuading Lily's curiousity.

Lily slammed the dagger point into the table top with a reverberating echo. "And giving someone a knife doesn't mean a hill of beans if you're not going to actually trust them, _Captain Potter_." Lily shoved past James, stalked around table and rushed out the door, letting it slam behind her, leaving the dagger shaking in the table.

James made a strangled noise and smashed the rum bottle into the top of the table. Glass fell apart around his fist and James moaned as he pulled back his hand and found that the glass had cut a jagged line across his palm. He sat down hard on the bench and stared at the blood as it trickled down his forearm, staining the floor as it fell to the ground. James grabbed the dagger with his other hand and stared at it for the longest time, finally seeing his reflection in the glinting blade. A reflection set off by icy walled eyes that were slowly melting away to nothing.

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Hehe...so should I run and search for cover???? I hope you guys don't hate me, but I do think that James' idea of trust might be a little different than Lily's and that maybe he's not fully ready to trust her with everything yet. And of course I don't know how much Sirius helped. I don't know how good of an explanation that was. Hopefully you guys understand and enjoyed it :) And hopefully you guys will review :) Please do so and I'm going to try to get the next chapter out as soon as I can. Thanks.

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	11. Nightmares

Hey I know it took me awhile to update, but I finally got it up. I don't know how much I like this chapter, so I might find myself editing it in the future.

Thanks to all my reviewers, I don't have time to thank you all right now as it's pretty late at night and I'm exhausted, but you know who you are and I thank you all for your reviews and excitement about the story. I hope this next chapter doesn't disappoint.

**Disclaimer**: Any names you recognize aren't mine, everything else including the plot its :)

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Chapter 11-Nightmares

James felt the dirt crunch beneath his worn boots as he walked up the deserted street of the town. Windows were latched shut, as were doors, darkness crept across the town, except for the faint light streaming from the pub at the end of the road. No sound came from the lit building, nor anywhere else in town. No sound coming from a pub, James wondered to himself, odd. James glanced around at the rest of the buildings, but none offered anything to him. What could it hurt, James shrugged, trudging up the street, gaining ground on the lit pub.

The cold wind cut across his face as James stopped in front of the pub, staring up at the light streaming from the windows upstairs and down. The door was closed snugly, but even so, James thought, there should've been at least a faint murmur of voices from the men drinking or wenching. As James reached for the handle and eerie feeling crept across his skin, not unlike the one he felt when watching the horizon for Riddle. James glanced over his shoulder but saw only the deserted street shrouded in shadow. Then he looked up at the sign of the pub near the second story window and fear clawed at his throat.

Hanging from the protruding sign by a fraying rope was a man, his skin bloodied and his clothes in tatters. His body was limp, his head lolled to one side, away from the constricting rope around his throat. James' wrenched his hand away from the handle as though it burned him, and he stumbled backward, staring with hollow eyes at the corpse that taunted him, like a painful memory emerging from the dark fabrics of his mind.

James' mind was buzzing at the familiarity of the situation, and anger churned his stomach as he continued to watch the corpse, as though hypnotized. No one deserved to die that way, even a pirate. James gathered his wits and shoved open the door, determined to get to the bottom of what was happening.

The pub was empty. James stood just inside the doorway, his eyes scanning the room to no avail. The door slammed behind him and James jumped, whirling around to stare at the closed escape route. A cold chuckle reached his ears and James felt his body turn cold as he turned to see a man, cloaked in black standing half in the shadows of the pub. It didn't occur to James to wonder how the man could be there one moment and gone the next, all he knew was that face, and that taunting laugh.

The man stepped around the chairs and tables coming closer to him, a sword swinging at his side. James didn't even need to check his own scabbard to know he had no weapon on him. He stumbled backward until his back was against the cold door, where he stood, unable to move or even reach for the handle.

"Have you come to challenge me, Captain James Potter?" The voice hissed, like poison it burned James ears and made his insides tighten painfully. "Have you come looking for justice, for retribution for the corpse of your crew-mate?"

James swallowed, creating a sound that reverberated in his ears. The man was within inches now, so close James could feel the hot breath and smell the absence of drink on it. "Do you actually think you can challenge me, Captain James Potter?"

James turned away from the face as he heard the sound of the metal sword coming toward him. Fear burned in his chest until hot iron slammed into his side.

James jerked awake so suddenly he let go of the wheel and stumbled back a step, his eyes bulging and his chest heaving, covered in sweat. His side was aching from where the dream sword had entered, and James had to gasp to regain his breath and calm. He jerked his head side to side, noting the darkness of night that surrounded his ship, the absence of the crew from the main deck, and the neglected wheel that was beginning to turn. James grabbed the wheel and held onto it tighter than needed, trying to settle himself. He continued to breath fast until a name came from between his lips. "Marcus Tanner." He whispered.

"Marcus Tanner, I haven't heard that name in two years." A warm voice replied. James started like a scared rabbit to see Remus on the steps to the landing, holding onto the rail. "What caused his name to resurface? Some nightmare?"

James shook his head slowly. "More like a memory." He murmured.

Remus nodded knowingly. "I believe I remember that memory quiet well." When James didn't reply, Remus continued. "Two years ago we were at port, and you and three men went ashore to get supplies, leaving Sirius and I to watch over the ship." Remus began walking along the landing as he told the story, James kept his eyes straight ahead, giving no evidence he was listening. "You, Marcus Tanner, Peter, and that nitwit Barbey Lewis." James grunted, remembering Barbey Lewis as the man who'd gotten so drunk he'd ended up nearly walking overboard.

"You and Barbey were looking for half the supplies, and Peter and Marcus were supposed to be getting the others, but then stopped at the pub and got a drink. Marcus never held his rum well, and ended up getting in an argument with a man of another crew…Riddle's crew."

James stiffened slightly. He couldn't even remember what the fight Marcus had got into was about, only that it had gotten so heated that Marcus had been killed.

"Not too long after, Peter ran to find you and told you there'd been some trouble at the pub. When you got there, Marcus' mutilated body was hanging outside for everyone to see." Remus continued, stopping his pacing to stand next to James.

James bit his lip. Remus was being generous in his telling. Mutilated didn't even begin to describe what state Marcus' corpse had been in. It had been ripped of every shred of identification, by men who didn't even have a scrap of humanity. James had been furious to learn how Riddle's man and Marcus had got into the fight with knives, only to be joined by half of Riddle's blood crew. He'd been even more furious to learn that Peter had cut and run to find him instead of doing anything himself, except, of course, by making the first offense of suggesting to go into the pub originally. Damn idiot.

James never found out if Riddle actually gave the order, all he knew from other inhabitants of the pub was that Riddle didn't like his crew to be slighted anything, as the were the best, and most deserving men of the best drinks and wenches any pub had to offer, so Riddle felt. And heaven help the man who thought different, or acted against them.

"You went into the pub and there was Riddle and his crew. The crew getting slobbering drunk, gleeful at the act they'd committed and Riddle looking content." James was amazed at how well Remus knew the tale. James had only repeated it once, in the locked room of his cabin to Sirius and Remus, and then had tried against all efforts to push it to the back corner of his mind.

"You went to Riddle, looking for retribution for the actions. Out numbering any man as they did is even dishonorable for a pirate. To hang the victims corpse, to flaunt it as such, is looked down upon even if it is a pirate committing the act." Remus added, leaning against the rail. "Riddle refused your words and you came back to the ship. Soon after the incident Riddle found out you had the key, and has been chasing us ever since." Remus finished sharply.

James laughed harshly. "You're leaving out bits, Remus, perhaps your memory is frayed." Remus glanced at him. "You forgot the part where I demanded and Riddle ridiculed me, barely holding back his hoard of mongrels who were so drunk for blood that they wanted another brawl, another corpse. You left out the part where I cowered at Riddle's feet like a dog to his master, where I left with my tail between my legs, fearing for my life more than the sake of anything else. You left out the bit where I never went back because I was too terrified of what those red eyes would do, what that cruel voice would say. The part where I left my crew member, my friend to hang outside a pub. Where I let his last place of rest be on a wooden sign outside the most damned place in any port in the entire world. I didn't even cut him down, I did nothing Remus. I acted the cowards role and I haven't bloody gotten out of it for two years!"

Remus raised his eyebrows. "You are not a coward, James. You backed down because it was odds of three to thirty, it was suicide to fight him. And it was Tanner's own idoitic fault for getting in a fight over a drink or a wench."

James snorted. "You and I both know not to get into fights about wenches and drink, but any man not tainted by reality will brawl for a chance at a night with a wonderful woman and drink."

Remus held back a chuckle as silence fell between the two. James shook his head letting his messy hair fall across his brow. "I still acted the coward." James muttered, more to himself.

"A coward? What coward would still roam the seven seas knowing a dangerous pirate is after him? A coward would've fled inland to escape." Remus pointed out.

James shrugged. "Then I'm a stupid coward, but still a coward. Remus he doesn't even have to be anywhere near me for me to have nightmares and wake up in sweats, to see those red eyes and hear that icy voice, or feel his blade running me through. Just that memory of seeing him for minutes is enough to haunt me. I don't even need to see the black sails. Don't even have to look over my shoulder…." James' voice faded off, thinking of what Lily had told him. Right before she walked out, leaving your symbol of so-called "trust", a little voice taunted him.

"So why do you then?" Remus asked lightly. "Why do you keep looking over your shoulder?"

James' eyes flashed at the familiar words. "None of your damn business."

Remus raised his eyebrows. "I think I hit a nerve." Remus observed, clearly knowing he had, and wasn't about to let it go. "Since when did you get so touchy on that subject matter?"

"Since people on this ship got so nosy about it." James snapped at him.

"You mean Lily." James glared. "Well you did give her opening. Did you think she wouldn't take it?"

"What opening?"

"You gave her a knife, a symbol of trust. You don't give someone trust and never act on it. It just doesn't work that way."

"I never said I trusted her." James pointed out.

"Oh so that knife was just a gift? Out of the goodness of your heart? You're the one who always laments about how there is no good in a pirates heart, or that he hasn't got one."

"I don't say that!" James yelped. "I do have a heart, it just blacker than most."

Remus snorted as though he'd heard something that disgusted him. "So that's why you've been sulking for the past week. Something she said made you think that maybe you messed up. Maybe you did yank your trust away, that maybe you should've trusted her just a bit more. That 'black' heart has a conscious and you're feeling guilty for just shoving her aside."

He had felt guilty, James amended inside. If only a tiny, minuscule bit. But he wasn't about to admit that to Remus. "I have nothing to feel guilty about. I don't have to trust her at all if I decide not to."

"True, you can decide not to trust her." Remus allowed. "Just like you can decide to take _Lily's_ trust and throw it on the ground, then stamp and stab it, because when you gave her that knife she began trusting you too. The problem is that you are too scared to let someone else in on the secrets you try to hide behind your pirate masquerade. "

James felt his cheeks grow hot. "Lily should know better than to put her trust in a pirate." He growled.

Remus blinked at him, his eyes grew distant. "Funny. It seems I put my trust in both you and Sirius when the three of us signed that contract."

"What contract?" James spat.

Remus coughed out a chuckle. "You're so busy tying people like Lily and her father to contracts you forgot the one we made. The one that said we'd give our lives for each other. That we'd stick through this problem with Riddle until death took us. That we'd fight side by side." James dropped his eyes. He did remember that contract. That contract that really hadn't needed to be made. He would've died for Remus or Sirius whether he'd signed his name on a scrap of paper after they'd been thrown out on the streets or not. It just made him feel safer knowing there was proof that they felt the same loyalty.

Remus grunted and James focused on his friend again. "You signed that contract same as us. You trust us to keep it, and you trust us to want to keep it even if you ripped it up and threw it into the ocean." Remus turned on his heel and descended the stairs, stopping halfway to look at James. "Just remember you're trusting Lily to keep her contract just as you're trusting us to keep ours. There's nothing different about her or us, James, there's no reason you couldn't trust her, no reason to turn your back on the trust you offered." Remus shook his head. "You'd better decide soon whether you're going to trust her fully or not at all. You can't go halfway, and eventually you're going to have to prove it to her, one way or the other."

Remus left him and James gripped the wheel tighter, Remus' words echoing persistently in his ears. "You're going to have to prove it….one way or the other."

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Lily found herself on the main deck, the mist of the night danced around the water surrounding the ship. A calm breeze ruffled the sails above her, bringing a striking contrast from the brutal storm that still remained vividly in Lily's memory. The deck was silent, all the crew was asleep, but Lily knew there had to be at least one person who was here, watching over the ship. She walked steadily across the deck, turning and trying to catch a glimpse of someone, or a sound at least.

The calm that she had found when first coming on the deck had drifted to an uneasy silence. Was the night supposed to be this quiet, this…alone, Lily wondered. She felt a board creek under her foot and paused, hearing a loud gasp and moan. A shiver crept up her spine and she turned, looking upward at the landing she was standing near. The wheel rocked on it's own accord and two shadows resided on the landing: one standing, one slumped on the ground. She saw a glint of a blade in the hand of the man standing up. She rushed toward the stairs and paused halfway up. What was she thinking? She couldn't go running up to face a pirate! Especially with no weapon. There was a loud moan from the man on the ground and then what sounded like air being let out of a bellow. Lily scrambled up the stairs, fearing for whoever was hurt and stumbled to her knees beside the body. The shadows stretched too long and the moon stayed hidden, forbidding her to see the man's face. Though she could make out handsome features and dark hair. She touched his face that was somehow already cold. How is that possible, Lily wondered to herself. I just heard him make a noise. But no noise was being emitted any longer by the man.

"He's dead." The voice was cold, cutting like a knife across her skin. Lily turned her head to see the figure of a man near her, still holding the blade he had been using. The red dripping off its tip made Lily wish to throw up.

"What did you do?" Her voice cracked.

The man laughed coldly. "Are you that silly of a girl." It wasn't a question and Lily wouldn't have answered if it had been. While James' jibs forced her into anger, this man's jibs sent fear down her spine, then right back up it again. "No one challenges me, no one tries to get the best of me, because they fail." He pointed to the dead man. "Because eventually they all go cold." Lily looked down at the body as a faint flicker of moonlight crossed the dead man's face and Lily shrank back, a yell bursting from her lips….

As she fell from her bed. Lily barely realized she had been dreaming, or that she'd yelled aloud before she'd shoved open the door and fell through the doorway, into a body who crashed down to the floor with her.

Lily gasped for air, feeling the chest she was lying on top of doing the same. "I'm so sor-" Lily stopped short, seeing James Potter beneath her, blinking at her, trying to realize what had happened.

"Apology accepted." He managed to gasp out, trying to rationalize how he was having difficulty breathing when Lily obviously didn't weigh that much. He tried to sit up but Lily shoved him back down as she got to her feet.

"Apology revoked." She snapped at him. Lily had hardly seen James since he'd nearly gotten her drunk, and Lily was sure that's what he'd been trying to do, no matter if it was true or not. And then having the nerve to claim he didn't trust her still, the nerve to throw away her question even though she'd answered his.

"Are you always this touché in the middle of the night?" James asked tartly, pulling himself up to face her.

"That is none of your business!" Lily snapped. "And what are you doing walking around-"

"_My_ ship at night?" James finished. "It's my ship, I can walk along it if I want. Though I might not do it as often if you decide to make a habit of yelling and running out of your room into people."

Lily glared at him. "You won't have to worry yourself." She told him through a tightened jaw. The dead man's face flickered across her vision and Lily swallowed hard, looking away from James' face half hidden by the shadows of the hall.

James looked her over and crossed his arms. "So tell me this, Miss Evans, when did the nightmare bed bug infest your bed as well?" He smirked at her.

Lily flushed slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"The reason you ran out of your room in such a fright..."

"There were…spiders." Lily countered.

James raised an eye at her. "I beg your pardon? Spiders?"

Lily scoffed at him. "You don't think that your precious hulk of a boat has spiders?"

"Not ones big enough to make someone come running out of their room in the middle of the night in a sweat. What did they do, wake you up? Tap you on the shoulder, or whisper in your ear?" Lily bit her lip hard and James' smirk widened. "Lying doesn't become you, Miss Evans."

Lily's eyes flashed. "And trying to sound concerned doesn't become you, Captain Potter."

James shrugged, cocking his head. "Who said I was concerned?" Lily made a strangled noise and James shook his head at her. "Besides, you don't trust me enough to tell me why you really ran out of the room." As soon as he finished the phrase, James could've bitten his tongue off. Why did I say that, James wondered as Lily's eyes widened with anger.

"Trust? You have no right….you don't trust _me_ enough to answer a simple question! Why should I go and trust you, Potter?!" Lily growled.

Well, James thought in the back of his mind, at least now we're fighting about the real problem and not about whether spiders woke her up. Should I consider that some sort of progress?

But the thoughts running through James' mind still didn't nullify the fact that Lily was making his blood boil, and not for the first time! "Simple question my ass!" He countered. "That was not a simple question, more like a complex one. A simple question would've been 'have you ever had a dog named Timothy'? Not what's your deepest darkest secret!"

"I didn't ask your deepest secret!" Lily countered angrily. "I asked why you behaved so strangely."

James floundered for a retort. "At least I don't go screaming out of my room in the middle of the night from 'spiders'." How did I return to the spiders? James wondered. Am I that much of a coward I can't even face Lily when it comes to trusting her or not? I don't care what Remus says, I am _not _hiding behind any masquerade.

"I wasn't screaming!" Lily yelped at him. Her breath was racing, trying to focus on James' words when the nightmare continued to fester in the back of her mind was more infuriating than arguing with James normally. I wonder if he could've done something to make me have that nightmare just to distract me, what a silly idea though, Lily admitted to herself quickly. The nightmare tugged at her brain again and she closed her eyes, trying to grasp her bearings.

James rolled his eyes at her, throwing all his sane thoughts into the wind. "Admit it, Miss Evans. You had a nightmare and it scared you out of your wits."

"I did not have a nightmare." Lily balled her fists at her sides and opened her flaming eyes. "As far as I know you're the only one on this ship who's haunted by nightmares. How did you put it, the nightmares of 'a monster that haunts your nights and days'?" She taunted him.

"Don't you dare mock me!" James growled under his throat. "And I hope the spiders enjoy the company of an old spinster such as yourself, Miss Evans!"

Lily's face paled. "They'll be better company than a pirate like you, Captain Potter!!" She spat at him, turning to her doorway. James whirled and stomped up the hall, but stopped just before he arrived at the stairs, his fists that hung at his side moved as his shoulders shook. Lily had paused in her door, gripping the door frame, afraid to step inside and fall into the dreams again.

She wasn't sure what made her ask it, or where the question came from, it just seemed acceptable to ask. And Lily knew she couldn't lay back down until it was answered. "Do they always make you feel this way?" Her whisper was barely caught by James. He didn't turn to answer, but did let a word slip through his lips.

"What?"

"Nightmares. Do they always make you feel so-"

"Helpless." James finished smoothly, staring at the floor, his words taking on minds of their own. "As you're surrounded by fire with-"

"No water to put it out." Lily replied. "That no matter what you do-"

"You can't escape it." James sighed. "Yes."

"So…what do you do? What can you do?" Lily asked.

"Nothing…there's nothing you can do." James' voice was hollow.

"There must be something." Lily countered, staring at the strand of red hair that had fallen across her face. "There must be."

"You can run from it."

Lily raised her head and looked at James' back, her face smooth. "Does it work?" She asked softly.

James looked over his shoulder at her, his eyes deep. "I don't know. I haven't stopped running to find out."

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So what do you guys think? I don't know if it flowed as much as I wanted it to. I do know that Remus might've seemed a little pushy and I know he's the quieter one, but I think he probably has a bit higher morals at this point than James or Sirius and even the quiet ones have to point things out to their friends once in awhile, know what I mean? If you don't it's okay, I'm hard to understand sometimes :) Anyway please review and let me know what you think. The next update won't be until around Christmas, since I have a HUGE History paper to write and gifts to finish making/wraping/buying. Thanks again, and (for the second time :) ) please review:) :) 


	12. The Key's Secret

So for Christmas my dad got me a tape recorder (so I can verbally record parts of my stories that pop into my head when I'm out walking the dog-yes it's weird but you'd be surprised how much help talking outloud through your story really is) and this awesome book called Pirateology, which has lots of facts about pirates that I didn't know. So I might end up going back and editing previous chapters with the use of my new info after I finish this story, but that won't be for awhile :) Anyway, thanks to all the people who reviewed the story, your support is great. I'm going to try to reply to each of your reviews when I get them from now on, via e-mail so we can move right along to the story. Sorry if the replies from Ch 11 are rather late :) I hope you enjoy this next chapter, and I hope it's not too fast or too confusing. I tried my best to make it believable and not too deep or dramay (is that a word?) near the end.

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone but Cook and Captain Ribbs (and his story) and this plot line :)

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Chapter 12- The Key's Secret

Morning found Lily attempting to clean out the kitchen, the roughly made broom brushing against the floor, sending more dirt into the air then into the semi-pile Lily had made. Lily paused in her sweeping, and rubbed her eye with the back of her hand. Her eyes drooped dangerously, and she felt as if she could easily have fallen asleep on the spot. Nightmares had plagued her the past three nights, always the same, always stealing away the rest of her night's sleep. If this was how James always felt than Lily almost felt sorry for him, but she wasn't about to let him know that. All Lily could do was contain herself when she woke up shaking, hoping no one noticed her lack of sleep or questioned her about it..

Unfortunately she was not that lucky. Cook had long noticed her change of demeanor, and this time he didn't think it had anything to do with the Captain's big mouth, which was only partially true. Cook left his work and walked up to the swaying Lily, casually plucking the broom from between her hands.

Lily started and looked at him. "Oh…Cook…"

"Why don't you go off to your room and get some sleep, eh Miss Lily?" Cook suggested, a worried crease crossing his brow.

Lily shook her head stubbornly. "I'm perfectly okay…." She murmured to him, blinking to keep her eyes from betraying her.

Cook looked unconvinced, but he wasn't as foolhardy as James, he knew not to get into an argument with Lily Evans. "All right…" Cook gave in, setting the broom to the side and returning to his peeling of potatoes. Lily followed his lead, taking a knife as well as a potato. She had barely started her peeling when her knife slipped and cut her finger. With a yelp Lily dropped the potato and the knife, watching as blood crept its way down her finger.

Cook snatched a rag and pressed it on Lily's finger, then tying it tightly around her whole left hand. "Miss Lily you need to watch yourself, working with knives like that."

Lily nodded mutely, pain creeping along her hand. "It slipped."

"Aye it slipped all right." Cook muttered to himself, finally letting go of her hand as he'd finished tying the rag. "You're too tired to be working with knives, Miss Lily. And don't you go arguing with me, neither." He ordered.

Lily frowned at him, holding her hand against her chest. "I need to pull my weight on the ship." She mumbled softly.

Cook snorted at her. "Those your words or the Captain's?" He asked her shortly.

Lily bit her lip, but didn't reply. Cook shook his head, then brightened. "I got an idea, how about you go and take this food to the Captain and his mates." He handed her a tray with meat, bread, and some sort of mashed potatoes. "They'll be in his cabin. Just knock and go on in."

Lily was startled. "I don't think-"

"Go on now." Cook ushered her out of the galleys, and into the hall, closing the door behind her, then leaned against the wall, letting out a half-relieved breath.

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Lily fought against the slight rocking of the boat as she fumbled her way across the main deck, towards James' door. The crew nodded politely, but Lily was too flustered to return the acknowledgment. Having to face James Potter, looking like the nightmare bug really had bitten her, was not what she had planned. Facing James Potter at all aggravated Lily enough. She stopped in front of his door and knocked, trying to balance the tray with one hand.

She heard the murmuring of voices from beyond the door, but no one came out. She hit the door a second time, but still no one came to the door. Lily grunted, from frustration and from the weight of the tray. "Fine." She growled to herself, grabbing the door handle and shoving the door open, to stumble into James' cabin, just as dagger zipped in front of her.

Lily dropped the tray, which smashed to the floor, overpowering the sound of the dagger thudding into the opposite wall. Lily thought she heard a sea wind slam the door behind her as her arms shook and her knees weakened.

Remus grabbed her elbow, holding her up. "Lily?" He asked. She turned her eyes to him. "Breath, Lily." Remus ordered her. Lily let out the breath she'd been unconsciously holding. "Are you okay?" Remus asked her, ignoring the shattered bowls and remnants of the food that lay splattered on the floor.

Lily nodded, turning her head to see Sirius yank the dagger out of the wall, from a pinned up paper that resembled a wanted poster. Sirius looked at her apologetically. "Are you sure?" He asked. Lily blinked at him.

Clearing her throat she nodded again. "I'm really okay." She finally noticed James who was standing near his desk, the surprise barely having faded from his face. His eyes flicked away from hers, studying Remus instead of her. Lily straightened up. "What on earth are you doing? Moreover, what were you thinking, throwing a dagger around in a room?" She demanded, a slight edge of anger to her voice.

"We were thinking no one would be walking in." James replied, his voice rough.

Lily frowned at him. "Cook told me to bring you food."

Sirius sighed blissfully. "Good ol' Cook, looking out for us. You'll have to thank him for me." Sirius smirked, looking down at the mess of food on the floor. "I'm sure it would've been delicious."

Lily felt herself blush slightly, but felt Remus squeeze her arm reassuringly before letting go. "You think only with your stomach." Remus concluded.

Sirius shrugged, continuing to smile. James was still focused on Lily. "Anything else, Miss Evans?" He asked in a neutral voice.

"Well, as of yet you still haven't answered my initial question." Lily pointed out, mildly. James frowned at her, but Remus spoke first.

"It's a contest we have every so often. We take turns throwing the knife at a target, the closest to the mark wins." Remus explained calmly.

"It's always James." Sirius said. "He's the best of the three of us." Lily glanced at James and found his frown twitching as his ears turned a brilliant shade of pink.

"And the winner gets whatever everyone else bet." Remus finished.

"Bet?"

"Sure, gold, drink…." Sirius ticked each one off of his fingers.

James crossed his arms, leaning harder against the side of his desk, studying Lily as she listened to Remus and Sirius. There was a faint darkness under her eyes, and her face was thinner. Reminds me of what I look like after a bad night, James concluded to himself. Over the past days he'd fallen to wondering what she had dreamed about that was so awful, and why she was dreaming it at all. It wasn't as if she'd ever met Riddle before, wasn't as if she'd ever have any reason to have nightmares. She didn't look over her shoulder.

"Or secrets." Sirius finished his list. Lily narrowed her eyes.

"Secrets?"

"It's what we used to do, when we were first pirates." Remus explained. James shifted uncomfortably, wondering how much of that story Remus would let out. "We didn't have gold, so we bet secrets."

"Not that there were many of them, mind you. We'd known each other for too long for there to be many." James grunted loudly and Sirius glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, changing the direction of his words. "Anyway, those little contests are how we found out how many books Remus had read-"

"Or how many drinks Sirius had had the night before." Remus snorted.

"Fascinating." Lily murmured to herself, smiling slightly.

Sirius cocked an eye at her. "Why don't you give it a try, Miss Evans." He placed his dagger into her hand. Lily stared at the knife against her palm.

"I don't know." She murmured. Unconsciously she looked up at James, who returned her gaze with hard eyes. "I don't have anything to bet anyway." She added.

Remus shrugged. "So just bet a secret. Here, you see that wanted poster?" He pointed and Lily followed his finger and saw the faded paper, the outline of a man drawn across it. She nodded. "Hit the man on the poster, and you get to ask anyone for a secret…if you miss the winner before you came in gets to ask you one." Remus shrugged. "It's all just for fun."

James held a breath, unsure if he'd rather Lily accept the invitation or decline. Odds were she'd miss if she gave it a try…she hadn't practiced with her…no _his_ dagger since she'd left it in the galley table. Then again, she could make it, and if she did, it wouldn't take a mastermind to know who's secret she'd ask. James bit his lip, and waited.

Lily studied the dagger, it felt heavier than the one she'd had before. What if I miss? She wondered to herself. She shook her head, and glanced at Sirius and Remus, then finally at James, who tilted his head, watching her closely. Lily finally nodded. "Okay."

She faced the wall, knife in hand, grateful that it wasn't her bandaged left hand she had to throw with. "Grip it with your them and forefinger." James' voice echoed warmly in her head. She adjusted her fingers. "Pull it back." Lily brought her arm back wards over her shoulder. "And let it go right as you reach your shoulder." Lily let swung her arm, and let the knife go right as she hit her shoulder.

There was an echoing thud in the wall and Lily unconsciously let out her breath. Sirius shook his head in sympathy. "Too bad, Lily." He murmured to her. Lily's heart fell, but Remus frowned and went forward to inspect the knife.

"You're wrong, it hit." Remus argued. "Just barely, but it hit." Sirius strode forward and the two began to argue.

Lily's head swam as she stared at the wall. It looked as thought it'd only barely hit. The hit was so disputable, that there wasn't a chance in all the seas they'd let her have it. Lily looked sideways at James. Not a chance he would let her have the secret.

James studied Lily. It had been a good throw. A little off, but he doubted he could've made better with as much practice as she'd had. Then again he was rather good, James admitted, if only slightly smugly.

Lily's face was averted to the ground and James felt his stomach tighten with…what had Remus called it before? Ah yes, guilt. James hated the feeling, hated more the fact that he felt he shouldn't be feeling it at all, at least that's what Sirius would say. Then again, Remus had always had more sense…was more often right than not…Lily looked up and as she met James eyes, he felt himself surrender. Okay then, I was a fool, I admit it, James thought to himself as he faintly heard Sirius and Remus arguing. I knew you were no simpleton when I gave you that dagger, that you'd take it as what it was. All I am is a coward, a fool…a pirate. James sighed. "Let her have it…it was a fine shot, hit or miss." He muttered.

Lily barely remembered to breath in her shock. It appeared to Lily that Sirius was having the same difficulty, though Remus had only looked shocked for a moment before finally smiling a knowing smirk. "Go ahead, L-Miss Evans." James said, walking around his desk, and slumping down comfortably in his chair. "Ask for your secret." He smiled at her, daring her almost.

Lily licked her lips and cast a look at Remus and Sirius before walking over to James. "Okay." She told him, watching as James calmly met her eyes, his face gave the appearance of a fort preparing itself against the oncoming army. Lily leaned down, closing most of the gap between her and James. "Captain Potter…why do you-" She stopped as something caught her eye, peaking out from James' half-opened shirt. She reached forward and James curiously followed her with his eyes, which widened as she touched the key, peaking from its hiding place. As Lily took it between her fingers and pulled it into the open, James grabbed her wrist, holding her there. Their eyes caught and with barely a few breaths between them they stared at each other.

"What is this?" Lily whispered into the silence.

James felt himself swallow, retaining only as much of his mind to remember not to exert all his strength on Lily's wrist. He couldn't tear his eyes away as something inside him was ripping itself into pieces. He'd expected her to ask about his reason for looking over his shoulder, explaining that fear would've been difficult on it's own..

But the key was just as important, just as complex a subject as any nightmare he might've ever been asked to explain. He could refuse, couldn't he? He was the Captain after all.

But she asked you, a voice told him. It's right there staring you in the face, are you going to play the coward again?

Remus said I wasn't a coward, another part argued.

Remus also said that sooner or later you would have to prove your trust to Lily, if you truly trust her.

James licked his lips and let one of his fingers that was still wrapped around Lily's wrist, brush against the key.

Sirius turned and looked at Remus, who was intent on seeing the scene play out. "She can't ask him that! That's nearly as personal a secret-" Remus clamped his hand across his friend's mouth, looking him square in the face.

"It's his secret to divulge or not." Remus pointed out. "So let him divulge or not."

Sirius pulled his face away. "We swore we'd tell no one." He whispered harshly.

Remus turned his eyes to Lily and James, who were frozen like statues fixed in time. "No one except those we'd trust." Remus added.

James took a breath, raising his other hand to slip the gold chain off his neck and drop it on top of Lily's hand. "It's…a key." He replied softly.

Lily's eyes widened and dropped to stare at the object in her hands as James straightened up to his full height. Lily backed away and straightened as well.

"It's a key to the greatest pirate treasure in all the seven seas, or any of the hundreds of kingdoms scattered throughout any of the lands." James finished, his heart beginning to slow down.

Lily ran her thumb over the engravings. "A key? To a treasure?"

James nodded, staring down at her. "Aye. Captain Ribbs' treasure, it was lost ages ago."

Lily tore her eyes away from the key in her hand. "Who?"

"Captain Ribbs. Some say he was the first true pirate, lived too many years ago for one to count. He began his marauding on the land, riding through towns and pillaging everything from the smallest kernel of corn to the largest gold statue. Then Ribbs took his stealing on the sea, plundering any ships that were doomed enough to come near him and any towns he spotted. By the time he was old and gray he'd collected too much treasure to be lugging around during his marauding. So he began burying parts of his treasure along coastlines, most of which was later found by people in nearby ports. But he buried most of his treasure in a secret location, so no one would find it. Then he left, so the story goes."

"He never came back?" Lily questioned.

"Couldn't." Remus broke in. "His ship was caught in a storm and it sank, drowning the entire crew."

"So the story goes." Sirius added lightly.

"But he left two clues to where the treasure was before he left his home port." James had maneuvered around Lily and was now standing on the other side of the desk, arms folded. "A map and that key, the key to the treasure chest that holds all his wonders."

"A treasure." Lily murmured. "What's in the chest?" She asked them

James looked at her blankly. "Treasure." He said tentatively.

"What kind of treasure?" Lily asked, half exasperated, but still too excited about what was being told to her to get angry at James.

"Gold, jewels…stuff like that." Sirius broke in.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"

"Well no one knows for sure." James defended.

"He could've buried rocks. Or someone could've gotten there before you and taken all the treasure." Lily told him.

"Technically not since we have the key." Sirius said.

"It'd help if we had the map too." Remus pointed out.

Lily balked. "You don't even have the map?!"

"Hey!" James barked. "It's not the easiest thing in the world to find. No one knew where Ribbs hid the key or the map. He didn't want anyone to find his treasure, so of course it wouldn't be a well known 'secret'. We've been searching for years and still haven't found the map." Which hopefully means Riddle hasn't found it either, James added silently.

"Don't you have any clue where it is?" Lily asked, still unable to get over the sensation of running her thumb across the key.

"If we had a clue we'd be chasing that clue, not sitting around in the middle of the ocean blue." Sirius replied blandly.

"Oh." Lily murmured. "How did you acquire the key in the first place?"

"We…er…found it at a-" James glanced sideways at Remus. "-_friend_ of Remus'. He didn't know it's true value, and was glad to have it off his hands." Embellishing isn't the way to prove you trust her, a part of him scolded.

She asked my secret, not Remus'. And that is definitely Remus' secret. James pointed out to his other self.

Lily ran her finger through the gold chain, and James shifted uneasily. He recognized the look in her eyes. He had had it many a time. So fascinated with something, so curious it could almost get one killed. James stepped up to Lily again, opened his mouth to speak, just as his cabin door opened.

All four of them turned to see one of the crew standing there, his head turning round. "Captain your needed in the riggings."

"The Captain's busy." Sirius said walking up to the man, turning him around by the shoulders. "Show me the problem." As he led the man out of the cabin, he turned his head and winked at James over his shoulder, who returned it with a smile.

Lily turned her head to look again at the key, and realized with a shock that it had disappeared from her hand, without her even noticing. She looked up in time to see James stuffing the key into his drawer, than look at her with an amused eye

"I think that it's time for you to get back to your post." He told her.

Lily rose her chin in defiance. James cocked an eye in his traditional fashion. "You asked your secret, and you learned it. However." James paused and looked at her seriously. "There is one more thing, Miss Evans. I wasn't lying when I said that the key opened the greatest pirate treasure, which also means it's the most desired. By men of pirate or pure virtues. Men would kill to have this treasure, and others would and will die on the path to find it. Only three people on this ship know of it." James told her. "Remus, Sirius, and myself. I want to keep it that way. Before you leave this cabin, Lily Evans, you have to swear not to tell a soul of the key, the treasure, or the fact that I have the key on my ship."

Lily stared at him, his voice was so serious, and she believed every word he murmured. "I….swear." She bit back a biting comment about whether she would have to sign a contract for this as well, only due to the fact that Lily was numb from the seriousness of what she'd been told. A secret that had passed between Remus, Srius, and James before they had gold was as meaningless as how many drinks Sirius had had. But this secret was important. Lily didn't understand why James trusted her with it, when he'd clearly displayed earlier he didn't trust at all, but she wasn't willing to throw her word away like he would. "I swear." She repeated.

James looked satisfied and nodded his head. Remus ushered Lily out the door, giving her a small smile, before closing the door in her wake. Remus turned back and looked at James.

"That was quite an interesting contest…wouldn't you agree?" Remus asked lightly.

James shot him a look before sitting down in his chair. "You have no idea."

--------------------------

Late the next night Lily walked down the hall toward her room. She'd told Cook she'd clean up the kitchen and the galleys, and it had taken longer than she'd ever imagined. "I'm not volunteering for that job again." Lily whispered to herself.

"Always talk to yourself?" a voice behind her asked. Lily whirled around and barely caught herself from screaming. James Potter quirked an eye at her.

"What are you-"

"I had to get a drink. So I crept into the galleys while you were finishing the kitchen."

Lily raised an eye. "For a man who doesn't get drunk, you drink a lot of rum."

"Sirius drinks all of mine up. And I am a pirate, I'm entitled to a drink here and there."

"As long as you don't try to get me drunk again." Lily threw at him.

James cocked his head, his eyes beginning to smolder slightly. "Barely a glass and a half of rum is hardly going to make you drunk. And for the record, I didn't force it down your throat, Miss Evans." He walked past her.

"For the record you said you didn't trust me." Lily stopped him. James turned and looked at her from a few feet away. "And then you tell me about a-" A harsh look from James made Lily quickly change her words-"tell me a very important secret. You said people could die over it, if that secret got out your whole crew could be killed."

You have no idea, James thought in the back of his head. "You certainly have a way of speaking loud for all to hear, don't you." James replied instead.

Lily snorted. "I see your crew at mealtimes. They get so drunk they sleep like babes. They won't hear a word I say. And I'm not done yet." She added as James started to turn.

He rolled his eyes at her. "When are you ever." She heard him mutter.

"You trust me with that…what changed? I don't understand. You can't light and unlight trust like you do a candle."

"Have you and Remus been talking?" James wondered aloud. "I'd swear I go from a conversation with him to a spat with you and both you and him say the same words, just you in a louder volume."

Lily scowled at him. "Why do you trust me with that secret?"

"You asked. The rules of the contest-"

"That's not the same thing." Lily growled at him. "You could've said it was a clue to a treasure and have been done with it." Lily dropped her voice as she finished her sentence, hoping no one would hear her. "But you didn't. Why not? Why did you trust me with that, but not with…the other secret?"

James looked at her, choosing his words carefully. "Because you can't always fully trust people right away with something like why you act like a…coward. Because, you _don't_ trust people with those sorts of secrets, not at first. _First_ you trust them with your rum, your gold, your knife. Then you trust them with your past. "

Lily smiled a small smile. "Remus' words?"

James snorted. "Are you kidding? Remus would have me getting down on bended knee and spill out to you the contents of my past."

Lily grimaced. "Strangely, I'm glad it's your words than." She frowned. James looked at her, inclining his head ever so slightly to the left, waiting for what he knew was coming.

Lily took a breath. "Will you tell me then, why you look over your shoulder? Or don't you trust me with your remaining rum yet, Captain?"

James eyed her, then reached down and pulled out the familiar knife from his boot. He tossed it to her and Lily caught the handle in her palm. "Practice." He told her. "You'll have to win another bet first." James smiled at her, a smile void of mockery and teasing, just a pure smile, then he turned, pausing in front of her door to set his bottle of rum down in front of it.

Glancing over his shoulder, he winked at her. "In case you change your mind about getting drunk." He told her, before sauntering off, leaving Lily fighting a small smile in his wake.

* * *

Well what did you think? I hope it wasn't too fast, James suddenly trusting Lily again, but he still doesn't trust her completely with his life story or anything. Small things first :) And if you're wondering, Lily is eventually going to find out about Riddle and why James is scared, but not until later. So, hopefully you like it, the next chapter is one I've been waiting a while to do (my mom claims I've been talking about it for months but I don't believe that). It'll hopefully be a little more light and fun than some of the other chapters, or most of it will :) So, you know what to do, leave a review please. I'll update as soon as I can :) 


	13. To Wench Or Not To Wench

Hey, so it's been a little while, but I've gotten out Chapter 13. Thank you to all my reviewers from the last chapter. Anywho, I hope you enjoy this chapter, it should be a little bit funner, some banter here and there, a couple serious moments, and some rum :) I hope you enjoy it :) (oh and the big long section in _italics _is like James remembering something...you all probably could've figured that out on your own though :)) 

Disclaimer: I own Cook, Captain Ribbs (and his treasure hehe), and most importantly the story...but I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters :(

Enjoy :) :)

* * *

Chapter 13-To Wench or Not to Wench

James ruffled through the papers scattered around his desk. The words he'd read at least a hundred times before scattered each page, rolled up maps rested at his feet and James furrowed his brow. He'd been going through his notes, trying to find any hits as to the location of Ribb's treasure, and he'd once again come up with nothing. Not that it surprised him, James could no longer count on two hands how many times he had already gone over the notes, notes that led to nothing.

James tossed the papers back on the desk, rubbing his face with a hand and leaning back in his chair. His body cursed him for the sleepless nights, and the long days until every single moment felt like a blur. James let his hand rest across his eyes, blocking out the sun that streamed in from the window behind him, as his shoulders relaxed and his mind drifted.

_James stood on the landing, the wheel under his hands, watching as the sea wind kicked up the waves around his ship. He shook his head, letting the wind catch him in the face as he smiled._

_There was a sound from the main deck, and James watched as Lily emerged from below the deck. Her shirt was rolled up to her elbows, her pants snugly fitting her. Around her waist, James noticed with a smile, she wore the dagger on a belt she'd made from old leather Cook had offered her. Her red hair brushed against her face that was palely lit in the sun as she glanced up and saw him. A smile crept into her green eyes and she made her way across the deck and up onto the landing._

_"I didn't know your job was to man the wheel." She said when she reached him._

_James shrugged. "I'm Captain, my job is to make sure everyone else is doing their job. Which reminds me, why aren't you in the kitchens doing your job?"_

_Lily ignored his question, placing her hands against the rail and looking out across the ship, past its bow and out to the sea. "It's strange." She murmured._

_"What is?" James asked curiously, watching her._

_"The sea." Lily smiled. "My father can barely last a couple days on it without getting ill, yet when I am on the sea, it feels…."Lily faded off, smiling to herself. "It's so beautiful, the sea. And yet so unpredictable. One moment it can be calm and bright, and the next it could be-"_

_"Trying to drown you with its crushing black waves." James finished. "I know a couple of people like that actually." He cocked a teasing eye at her._

_Lily smiled. "Oh, a pirate perhaps?"_

_James shrugged. "Probably a pirate or two that fits that description, yes." He cast a sly look at her. "But I wasn't talking about a pirate, Miss Evans."_

James smiled to himself, only to be abruptly jolted out of his thoughts when there was a loud stomp in front of him, and someone began ruffling papers.

James moved his hand and looked at Sirius, who glanced at him. "Any luck?" Sirius asked, a secretive look in his eye. The same look he always had when he wanted something.

"No…even if that was why you were here." James replied, refusing to sit up.

Sirius grinned. "You know me all too well."

James shrugged. "Comes from almost years of being around you."

"Don't sound like you haven't enjoyed my company just a little."

"Get on with it Sirius."

"Okay, okay." Sirius leaned over the desk and smiled at James. "I have a plan."

James rolled his eyes. "Brilliant. If memory serves, didn't your last plan nearly get us all killed?"

Sirius looked affronted. "That was over a year ago, and I already told you that I didn't know he was the Count of Townleth's brother, or that he had some skewed desire to die an honorable death while purging the world of pirates." James rolled his eyes. "Besides my information wasn't accurate."

"It never is." James muttered half-heartedly.

"My plan is to have some fun." Sirius broke in, ignoring James' last comment.

James raised an eye. "Your idea of fun, or Remus' and my idea of fun?"

"If by fun you mean sulking over your pint of rum, then no." James scowled as Sirius continued. "But, I do happen to have information that a port is nearby, with a pub. We could get there by tonight even."

"Is Ribb's treasure in this port?"

"Not to my knowledge, no."

"Then we've no business being there." James stood up to walk around the desk but Sirius jumped in his way.

"There's a pub there, with wenches and drink and an all around good time. Peter says it's one of the best pubs along the coast of England."

James raised an eye. "And your taking Peter's word for that?" Sirius shrugged and sidestepped to prevent James from moving forward.

"It'll be fun. You, Remus, and I go to the pub, have a couple drinks, wench a bit, and have a happy experience for once, instead of worrying about Riddle." Sirius concluded. "It'll be exciting, different. What do you say?" James made a face. "Don't say that."

"I haven't said anything yet." James defended.

"But don't say what you were going to say."

"You want to know my answer, don't you?"

"Well…yes…"

"It's no."

"See I knew that's what you would say." Sirius whined.

James sighed, clearly exasperated. "Then why bother asking, Sirius? Now move."

But Sirius stayed firmly planted in front of James. "Why not?"  
"Because it's not good for you."

"You sound like my mother."

"Sirius, you hardly knew your mother, you didn't see her after age five."

"Yeah, well I remember she was always forbidding me to do stuff, telling me I would get my fingers chopped off one day with all the trouble I got into."

"I see those threats didn't affect you in the slightest." James tried to step around his desk but was again blocked by Sirius. James frowned. "What?!"

"You still haven't told me why you won't let us relax and have a bit of fun."

"You want all my reasons?"

"That could take all day, just your top three." Sirius decided.

"One, you are the only one of the three of us who wenches, as I don't and Remus doesn't. Two, you are the only one who drinks heaping amounts of rum."

"Unless you're in a tiff about Riddle…or Lily." Sirius added slyly.

"And three," James continued, shooting a steely glare at Sirius. "You would get drunk and go off with your wench friends only to leave me and Remus alone. Remus would mull over his drink, and I'd have to drag him out of the pub to preserve his sanity. Then we'd have to go back to save you from whatever wench you latched onto. And fourthly, it's pointless to go to a port or to a pub for no reason when we have a madman on our tail and a treasure to find."

"That's four reasons. And we have a good reason, to preserve _your_ sanity. James you're running yourself into the sea. You are never going to find the treasure and escape from Riddle by pouring over the same maps a score of times."

"This coming from the man who hasn't looked at one of those maps yet." James scoffed.

"You need a break."

"And you _want_ a drink. It's not going to happen Sirius, I'm not pulling into a port for you to try and get me drunk and try to push me into wenching!" James pushed past Sirius, going over to a bookcase on the side of the cabin and yanking out a book, flipping through the pages, then tossing it aside to pick up another book.

Sirius leaned against the desk. "What can I say to change your mind?"

"Nothing that I can think of." James mumbled to him, eyes running across the pages of the book.

Sirius bit his lip, thinking, then smiled. When James tossed another book, Sirius was there to catch it. Startled, James looked at his friend. "What if we bring Lily?" Sirius asked.

James eyes widened. "What?!"

"What if we bring Lily into town with us to have a bit of fun? That way, if I get pulled off wenching, you and Remus would have someone to ensure you don't sulk over your drinks." Sirius said smiling.

James balked at him. "Lily…why would Lily want to…"

"You two seem to be getting along fine." Sirius looked at his knuckles. "Haven't argued the past couple days, I even caught a snippet of a civil conversation between the two of you when you had to go down to the galleys." Sirius glanced up at him.

James bit his lip, blinking and trying to wrap his mind around what Sirius was suggesting. True he and Lily had been on better terms. Speaking civilly to one another, and James had to half-grudgingly admit that it was nice….talking to her…sort of...

Not that she wasn't nice…she was…and pretty too…in a Duke's daughter sort of way, James supposed. He abruptly shook his head. What was Sirius thinking, suggesting to bring Lily Evans into a pub? What was he thinking beginning to consider Sirius' idea?!

"Are you off your rocker? We can't bring Lily into a pub!" James balked at him.

"Why not? You and Remus'll look after her, its not like you two will disappear with some wenches." Sirius argued back.

"You would try anything, wouldn't you?" James surmised.

Sirius shook his head. "She'll be fine. It's just a drink with friends anyway. Just the four of us out to have a spot of rum. We can all relax and have a good time. And, as an added bonus, you won't have to worry about Lily on her own on a pirate ship."

James let his mouth hang, staring at his friend. "We can't…" James tentatively shook his head. "You're crazy….we can't…it's not right…"

Sirius raised an eye. "No one is going touch her if she's with you James, you'd box anyone's ears who tried anything, and don't bother to deny that." James shut his mouth abruptly.

"Sirius the only women who go into pubs are wenches…and I wouldn't place them and Lily in the same group."

"Nor would I." Sirius assured. "But Lily's been cooped up on this ship for as long, or longer, than you have. She's been born and raised on the land, and she needs to get a bit dry now and then."

_But she thinks the sea is beautiful_, James thought to himself, _beautiful and dangerous_. "You're just using that as an excuse." He muttered.

Sirius sighed. "James we need a break, we need some fun. The men need it, you need it, Lily even needs it. One night away from treasure hunting isn't going to hurt you, and one night for Lily in a pub with us isn't going to taint her forever. Besides, you and her might actually have a good time." James threw him a look and Sirius threw up his hands, adding, "Not that I'm implying anything."

James looked doubtful. "You're crazy…"He mumbled half to himself, thinking hard. Then he looked up. "What if she doesn't want to go?" He asked slowly.

Sirius bit back his devilish grin, knowing James would throw out all hope if he caught a glimpse of Sirius bathing in a victory that was sure to come. "You won't know 'till you ask, will you?"

--------------

James came out from the galleys, looking slightly daunted. Sirius bounced up to him. "Well?"

James glanced at him. "Go chart the course to the port, Sirius." He relented.

"She said yes?!" Sirius asked, astonished.

James looked at him annoyed. "Do you want to get to the port or not?"

"Of course!" Sirius scrambled down the hall, only to stop and look back at James. "She said yes? What did you say to her?"

"That you suggested the four of us go to a pub." James said in a monotone.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Didn't put yourself in the blame at all, did you mate?"

James glared. "I can still change my mind."

"Oh don't do that, Lily-flower would be very disappointed." Sirius cast him a sly look and ran off before James could grab him. The Captain sighed and leaned against the wall.

"What am I doing?" James muttered to himself. "Bringing Lily to a pub? Letting Sirius talk me into that? I must be out of my bloody mind."

--------------

Night had veiled the sea by the time _the Marauder_ had pulled into the port. The men whooped and hollered as they finished tying down the ship, and began their way off into town. James watched them with a frown across his face as Sirius bounced up and slapped him on the back.

"Don't look so glum. Cook's staying on the ship and will watch over it like he does his best cooking knives."

"Maybe we should leave Lily with Cook then." James suggested, who had been having second thoughts about allowing Sirius to convince him to invite Lily.

Sirius rolled his eyes at his friend. "Has anyone ever told you that you think too much?"

"Only you, Sirius." Remus replied, coming up. He glanced at James. "What did he say to convince you of this?" He teased.

James ignored the question. "Where's Lily?" He muttered.

The said red-head came across the main deck at that moment, pausing in front of the three pirates, wearing her same clothes and dagger around her.

"You won't need that dagger." James told her. _At least I hope not_, he added silently. "Besides you can't even really use it."

Lily inclined her head. "It makes me feel safer."

Sirius threw an arm around Lily's shoulders. "Look no further for safety, love, my sword is bound to protect you."

"At least until he finds himself a wench and a jug of rum." Remus laughed as Lily shrugged Sirius' hand off, fighting a grin.

"I resent that. I am the perfect image of a heroic figure." Sirius argued as he jumped to the dock, followed by Remus. James threw a leg over and reached out an arm to Lily.

"Need a hand?" He asked, as Sirius and Remus continued their argument. Lily smiled and took his forearm and descended onto the dock. She looked around, noticing how the town lit up in the darkness with torches and candles.

"Don't stray too far." James whispered, looking around as well.  
Lily smiled. "I remember what happened last time we were in a port…I won't be straying." James chuckled to himself as they followed Sirius down the paths of the town until they came to a large house with a rotting sign. The windows were fogged but they could see lights and the shadows of men laughing. Remus cocked his head as Sirius stood outside, hands on hips a gleeful smile on his face.

"Is it…leaning a bit to the left?" Remus asked James.

James cocked his head. "I have no idea." He finally muttered.

Sirius turned and Remus and James straightened abruptly. "It's lovely, isn't it?"

"Oh yeah. Sure." James and Remus chorused.

"Come on then." Sirius turned his back and started toward the door.

"This has got to be the worst place I've ever had to walk into." Remus muttered under his breath. Lily giggled and James looked at her. "If you want to go back to the ship…"

Lily grinned. "It's okay…it'll be an adventure."

James raised his eyes, as he pushed open the door to revel the scene. "Welcome to your adventure, Lily Evans." He replied sarcastically.

The room was full of pirates and wenches. All the men were dirty, holding at least one pint of rum in their hands, some even held two. They laughed and the wenches pressed against the smelly men, laughing along with them. The noise echoed in Lily's ears and she saw the bartender cast her a dirty look as he cleaned out a cup with a filthy rag.

Lily felt James grab her elbow and bring her up against his side as a large man thundered by them. He glanced at Lily for a moment and looked as if he was about to pause when James sent him a steely glare, and he continued on past them.

"Sirius." James growled under his breath, looking down at Lily, regretting his decision more every moment.

Remus bumped against his shoulder. "Come on, let's find us a table."

James led the way to a table of four empty chairs. Lily took a seat at his side, as did Remus and Sirius. Lily cast her eyes around, blinking at the drunk pirates, the revealing wenches, and the many mugs of rum. The bartender came over and dropped four dirty glasses of rum on the table. Sirius flicked the man a coin before taking a gulp of his drink. Lily wrinkled her nose, searching her memory for the reason she'd agreed to come on this "expedition" in the first place. She looked at James he was staring at his rum, not touching it.

"The best pub in all of England, Peter says." James muttered, looking a Sirius who was casually drinking his rum, glancing over at a young wench who was eyeing him coyly. "More like the smelliest." He kicked Sirius under the table and Sirius jerked, looking at James.

"Well he didn't say it was perfect. What pub is?"

James gritted his teeth. Lily watched and unconsciously lifted her drink to her lips. James caught her wrist and forced the mug back to the table. Lily glanced at him and James shook his head, a wry smile on his lips. "I wouldn't drink that." He told her.

Sirius coughed on his rum. "Come on I paid James. The least you could do is take a sip of your rum. Remus has." Remus made a face at his drink.

"It smells nasty and bitter…I'm not even sure it's rum." James argued.

Sirius smirked. "Oh yes, Captain James Potter that neither drinks nor wenches. Pure goodness and all that, eh mate?" He laughed.

Lily held back a chuckle, when she saw James' eyes dart to hers for a moment, then glare at Sirius. "You've had one drink and you're already cracking."

"Maybe it really isn't rum." Remus suggested, sniffing his drink.

"Don't do that." Sirius smacked Remus' arm. "You're ruining it."

"It was already ruined to begin with." James informed him. Lily laughed at the three's antics and Sirius pointed at her.

"See, Lily's having a good time. Why can't the two of you follow her beautiful example?"

"I don't think she knows any better." Remus added, winking at Lily.

Lily smiled. "Of course I know better, I'm just indulging him." Lily teased back.

"See that's the worst thing you could do." Remus protested.

James leaned back in his chair, smiling secretly to himself. He cast his eyes around the room, taking in the inhabitants, those who looked like they'd had too much to drink and those who had yet to have any at all. His eyes lingered on a large group of men and wenches. One of the wenches turned and looked at him, her lips turning upward. James quickly turned his head back to his friends.

"Come on James, name the last time you got yourself good and drunk." Sirius was saying.

"I don't get myself good and drunk." James countered. Remus smirked and took a small sip from the drink, nearly choking on it.

"You are a damper on the party, James my boy." Sirius laughed as he took a drink, then caught the eye of a nearby wench. "Hello, what's your name?" He asked seductively.

She grinned at him and tossed her golden hair out of her face. "Sarah."

"Sarah, what a beautiful name." Sirius said slyly, reaching out his hand, which the girl took, as he pulled her to sit in his lap. "And how are you this lovely evening? Care for a drink?"

James rolled his eyes. "I suppose they'll have to just settle for the dashing pirate Sirius Black for tonight." James joked to Remus, who chuckled lightly. A hand touched his shoulder and James turned to look up. A tall wench looked down at him, her brown hair pulled back off her face and her clothes loosely falling on her pale shoulders. James recognized her from the large group he'd noticed earlier.

"It would be a pity for you friend to have all the fun." She cooed to him, leaning down to lessen the space between her face and James'.

James shifted in his seat, glancing at her hand that still rested on his shoulder. "Don't worry, he'll enjoy himself." He replied coolly. Lily watched him, not noticing her hands tightening slightly around her mug of rum.

The woman smiled at him, pulling her brightly colored lips away from worn teeth. She casually lifted a hand to brush hair off his forehead. James flinched away, and the woman ran a finger down his cheek. "I don't doubt that." She replied slowly, her finger continuing its path down James neck. "But I'm sure that you and I could come to some sort of…arrangement so that you don't have to miss out on any of the fun." Her fingers drifted down to where there base of his neck met James chest, the top button of his shirt slightly undone.

Lily stifled a noise in her throat as she watched the woman's actions. Remus sent Lily a curious look, which she failed to notice.

James pushed the wench's hand off him. "I think I'd prefer coming to an arrangement with a rug." He replied truthfully, watching her with a cold stare. Remus straightened slightly, watching his friend cautiously.

The wench smirked. "That could be arranged as well." Lily's eyebrows went up, and she didn't even hear the giggle coming from her other side as Sirius whispered something into his wench's ear.

James eyed her, wishing she would give up and leave. He was sick of this place, and its inhabitants already. Wenches usually knew when to give up the act when it came to him, he thought he put up a pretty uninterested air when they were about. This one apparently didn't seem to want to give up.

"You could use a good time with a woman, you're too stressed, Captain." The wench purred at him.

James shrugged her other hand off. "You'll have to find someone else to unstress tonight. I'm sure _someone_ in here will bed with a seductive girl like you." He added icily.

The women's eyes flashed dangerously. "Careful, Captain, it's wrong to insult a lady. And I've got a plenty of men who would kill you over your rudeness."

James looked past her at the group she'd come from, noticing some of the men watching him with flashing eyes, hands on their belts, close to their knives, while their other hands were around other wenches. James looked back up at the wench. "I'll take my chances." He muttered to her. "Why don't you go back over to your 'friends'?"

The wench looked over at the group, then back at James. "I'll see them again next week, you don't look like the type to stick around."

"Well spotted." James gritted his teeth, his hand tightening on the edge of the table.

"I thought I'd get to know you before you disappear." She smirked at him. James looked at her and noticed a leather cord on the top of her arm, hidden by her sleeve. James thought he saw a glint of steel before the sleeve fell back over it. James smiled knowingly at the glimpse of the hidden knife the wench carried.

"I think I'd prefer to not end up like your last 'catch'. Lying dead in an alley perhaps, with his purse in your dirty paws? Too full of rum to do much about it?" James replied.

The wench narrowed her eyes and straightened, her hand unconsciously brushing the sleeve that covered her dagger. "Those are daring words, Captain. I hope you have the steel to back up an insult such as that."

James glowered at her, meeting her fiery eyes with his own. Lily shifted and the wench glanced at her for the first time, her eyes widening in mock understanding.

"No wonder you won't take up my offer. You've got yourself a nice little wench right here." Lily felt her face flush red and James eyes burned brightly in anger. Lily moved upward, her hands dropping from her mug. She didn't know what she was going to do but she didn't care. Remus grabbed her arm and held her in her seat, looking at her forcefully.

The wench chuckled. "If you ever get tired of a girl and want a woman, just stroll back into the pub. I'll be here." She reached over to touch James shoulder seductively.

James slapped her hand away harsher than he had before. "When I want my reputation tarnished I'll be sure to look you up." He growled at her. The woman made a face and stalked off.

Lily's shoulders were shaking as she tried to control her anger at the wench's insult. James glanced at her uneasily, then at Remus, who raised an eye as if to say "Well you instigated part of it."

"That's not a fair judgment." James mumbled to Remus' unsaid accusation. Remus shrugged his shoulders.

Sirius was still busy with the other woman, and James had to wonder if he'd even glanced up for the past couple minutes to watch the argument. Sirius leaned over and whispered something in the blond wench's ear and she nodded, getting up and smiling at Sirius.

Sirius chugged the last bit of his drink. "Don't wait up mates." He winked at them and disappeared into the crowd.

Remus shook his head. "Abandoning us faster than usual." He muttered.

James shrugged. "I don't fit his style when in a pub, Remus. Nor do you." He looked at Lily who was staring silently at her drink, her knuckles turning white from her grasp on the mug. James looked back at Remus. "I think I'll take Lily for a…bit of a jaunt. This pub's too noisy."

Remus glanced at Lily, and nodded. "I'll see you back at the ship, mate."

"With Sirius."

"Of course, I'll bring him along if you insist." Remus joked. James chuckled. He stood up and nudged Lily's shoulder. "Come on Miss Evans." She didn't move. James knelt down and took the mug from her hands. "Come on Lily, we're getting out of this place." He whispered to her. Lily looked at him, her eyes wooden. James pulled her to her feet and led her away from the table, and out the door.

Outside the pub, Lily stumbled away from James and up against a pole holding up the rafters coming from the pub. James sighed and went over to her, hands in his pockets. They stood there for a moment in silence, the cool night wind running across their faces.

James swallowed and looked at Lily. "I'm sorry Lily. It was a stupid thing…I shouldn't have let Sirius talk me into it…"

"You didn't make me come." Lily mumbled, still staring at nothing.

James bit his lip. "Well…yeah…but still…a pub's no place for-"

"For a lady? James I've been on a pirate ship for at least two months. I wouldn't say I was that much of a lady of the court anymore." Lily replied softly.

James watched her, his mouth slack. "You're better than those women…they're just wenches…" James said. "What they say…it's jealously that's all. You can't listen to it…"

Lily shook her head. "I don't think I've ever been insulted like that, or been that mad." Lily smiled sheepishly and looked at James. "Then again, when you hit me with potatoes I was absolutely furious."

James lips quirked. "I remember being rather peeved at you myself, Cook's Assistant."

Lily smile grew a little as she leaned her back against the pole and faced James. "I was so mad though…"

"I'd be worried if you weren't. It's not a compliment when someone calls another a…well you know what she called…" James cleared his throat and looked off. "It was still stupid…to bring you in there. Sirius just wanted a drink…"

Lily looked at him, her face hard for a moment, and James stopped his rambling. He turned his head away and looked off up the road, to where the town ended and a hill began with a small road. Breaking off from the road, James noticed wooden planks that continued to go up the grassy hill, then disappeared into some low trees. James narrowed his eyes, noticing the light from starts streaming in from behind the trees. Slowly he smiled, then looked at Lily. "Come with me." He held out his hand. Lily looked at it curiously. "I think I know where there's a place more pleasant than any pub." Lily looked at his hand and then slowly took it.

James pulled her away from the shouts of the pub and out of the town. Then up the path, along the wooden planks. He brushed back some foliage and the path opened up to a knoll, secluded from the original path. Lily dropped James hand and walked up to the edge, staring out at the sight. The ships with their wooden colored hulls in the docks, and the sea stretching out from all human contact, to disappear against the horizon, with the stars and moon glinting off the surface. Lily looked at James who had come up beside her.

"It's beautiful." She told him. "How did you know it was here?"

James shrugged, smiling. "I didn't. It was just a lucky guess is all. The path had to lead to something."

Lily looked at him. "What if nothing had been up here but brambles?"

James smiled teasingly. "Well I guess it's a good thing I'm lucky, then."

Lily laughed and looked out again. "It's amazing. The sea looks so different from land than it does when you're actually on the sea." She went on.

"Land dwellers see it differently than seamen." James said, gazing out along with her.

Lily turned her eyes and looked at him. "Like you and Sirius see it differently with wenching?" She asked.

James looked down at her. "What makes you say that?"

Lily shrugged. "It's….well Sirius in the pub…he was enticed with that girl. You did all you could to get rid of the woman that came up to you." Lily went on. "And something some of the men said the day you came on my father's ship…"

James looked at her. "What did they say?" He asked.

Lily shrugged. "Something about locking yourself in your cabin when they go to wench. And Sirius jokes about it around you…" She looked at him. "You don't wench…at all?"

"No." James looked down at her, smiling slightly. "You seem surprised."

Lily shrugged. "I am. You're a pirate…don't pirates live for wenching and drinking?"

"You forgot gold." James added. He looked down at his hands, fiddling with a stick he'd pulled while coming up the path. He tossed it to the side after a moment, watching where it fell.

"Why don't you wench?" James looked up at her. Lily colored slightly at his interested look. "Not that it really matters, I suppose…or that I'm encouraging you to…I was just curious."

"Have you ever heard the saying, 'curiosity killed the cat'?" James asked her. Lily smiled at him. James sighed and looked out at the scene before him. "It's not worth it." He replied softly after a moment. "Not for something that…fake. No part of it is real, Lily. The wenches pretend like they're interested in you, but they're not. They're just interested in what money they'll get for it. It's not worth one moment of forgetting you're a pirate, just for someone who won't remember your name when you walk out of the pub...maybe didn't even ask your name to begin with."

James sighed and shook his head. "That's why pirates wench, you know. Because for that one moment they get to forget that in a few hours they will walk through the streets and be what every well-born in society loathes. They get to forget it when they're with a wench…she doesn't act like he's the scum of the earth…though what choice would she have in a room full of the scums of the earth…full of pirates."

Lily stared at his face, slack and staring at nothing. She turned her head slightly against the breeze and waited as James' mouth tightened and he looked at her, eyes bright.

"I don't wench because I can't forget that I'm a pirate…and I don't want someone pretending to care about something they hate. It's not worth a fake blissful night when you just go back to being what you were in the morning….alone and your life as far from matching any Count's as it was the night before."

Lily blinked at him, her mind vibrating at the sound of his sincere voice. "Sirius doesn't see it that way?"

James snorted and attempted a carefree smile. "No…Sirius loves to wench…because it's the one thing he thinks he can control." Lily looked at him oddly. "He tosses a wench a smile, flirts and enchants her with his charm…and trust me, there are few wenches that _aren't_ pretending when it comes to Sirius Black."

Lily smiled slightly. James turned his eyes back to watching the sea. "He wenches because he can't control the sea, can't control the path to the treasure…can't even control his two best friends, no matter how hard he tries to convince us otherwise. Sirius thinks he can control a wench's feelings towards him, no matter how fake they are." James shrugged. "It makes him think that maybe if he can control that, he can control his destiny so it doesn't end with a rope." James smiled. "I guess it also doesn't hurt that they're pretty, and he enjoys the company of people who aren't smelly pirates."

Lily smiled, her eyes still searching. "And Remus?"

James' eyes shadowed, as though he was guarding something precious. "Remus doesn't wench because… he developed feelings for a girl once, and she…let's say she didn't return the favor." James looked out over the sea. "Sometimes I think his reasons make more sense than mine, or Sirius' for that matter." James shook his head and looked at Lily. "You are nosy, aren't you Lily Evans?"

Lily bit her lip. "I suppose…it was personal I was just wondering…after what happened."

James shrugged. "It doesn't matter really. Every pirate on our ship can tell you I don't wench. They make up reasons, none of them right." He looked at her. "Don't tell any of them the truth though…can't have them thinking I'm a flower, can we?"

Lily laughed and shook her head. "No…that wouldn't do, I suppose, for the Captain of a pirate ship."

James smiled, watching her. She seemed happy. It was so strange, he'd grown accustomed to seeing her sulking around in her room or in the galleys…okay that was two months ago when she threw potatoes him and he stole her off her fathers ship, James concluded, but still. She actually really smiled, not that fake seductive grimace the wench had been pulling. Lily's smile was genuine, bright and lighting up her whole face. Lily's eyes brightened as she stopped laughing to smile at him, then turn back to stare at the sea. James blinked, licking his lips an uneasy smile coming across his lips, feeling a slight buzzing in his ears. He glanced up at the moon that cast its white glow down across his face, then looked back at Lily.

"Lily?" He asked. She turned and blinked at him. "Come on…we should get back to the ship." He held out his hand for the second time that night, waiting for her. Lily looked over her shoulder at the sea one more time, then reached and took his hand.

---------------

Lily laughed as James helped her up the boarding plank. "That can't be true." Lily told him as James jumped over the side of the boat and held out his hands to help her down. She grasped them and jumped onto the main deck.

"I told you, I don't lie. Even about the odd escapades of my friends." James smiled, standing and looking down at her. Lily smiled softly, looking up.

"So…all in all it was good…tonight." James muttered. "Nixing the drink…and the wenches…"

Lily laughed. "All in all. I suppose next time-"

There was a loud noise behind them, the sound of boots hitting wood, and as Lily and James turned, Peter scrambled over the side of the ship, landing hard on the deck. Mumbling under his breath he dusted off his pants, not noticing the two.

James cleared his throat. "Ah…Peter?"

The look-out jumped and looked up at them, startled. "Captain?" he glanced at Lily. "M-Miss Evans? You're back."

James cast his eyes around. "It would appear so."

"I thought you were…out with Remus and Sirius, Captain."

"I was…well we were. Remind me to chat with you about the 'best pub in all of England', eh?" James said blandly.

Peter's cheeks flushed red. "The rum was not good, Captain?"

"I didn't taste it actually, but it smelled rather vile."

"Oh." Peter looked embarrassed. "I'll check my information next time, Captain." He assured James, turning to leave.

James nodded, a strange look in his eye. "Where were you, Peter?" He asked, stopping the man from walking off.

Peter looked startled. "Just out in the town…meeting, talking, drinking…" He said slowly, his nose twitched slightly. "It's good to come down from up there every now and then." He pointed up to the crow's nest.

James nodded. "Well…did you have a good time, then?"

Peter looked at him. "Very good time, Captain. A most…illuminating evening." Then Peter wandered off, grabbed hold of the riggings and worked his way up toward his designated post.

James followed him with his eyes. "Odd man, isn't he." He mumbled to himself, almost forgetting that Lily was there until she spoke.

"He twitches a lot." She said, holding his arm and leaning up to whisper to him.

James looked at her and smiled. "Probably got into the habit being up there in the cold. Only way to keep warm." Lily smiled and James led her across the deck to the door that led down below deck. James looked over Lily's head around the ship. "Remus and Sirius should be back soon." He glanced down at her. "You probably want to get some sleep."

Lily nodded. "It wasn't all bad…tonight that is."

James shook his head. "Always a silver lining."

Lily smiled. "Next time I think I'll think harder before I decide whether to accompany you."

James nodded seriously. "Good idea…and I'll make sure next time Sirius can't talk me into things so easily." He smiled at her. "Good night then, Lily."

Lily felt him squeeze her hand and then let go. "Good night." She said smiling as he backed up, then turned and, stumbling once, made his way to his cabin, then disappeared inside. Lily pushed the door open and made her way down the stairs toward her cabin, letting the door close silently behind her.

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What did you all think? I hope James' reasons for not wenching and his reasoning behind Sirius' enjoyment of it aren't too stupid, but I wanted to make the reasons more human, and a little different than just because they're wenches or something like that, if that makes any sense at all. And I hope the sudden friendship between Lily and James wasn't too abrupt, please tell me if it was so I can edit that and make it flow better :) Hopefully it was an enjoyable chapter for you all :), and hopefully it made sense :) It will be a bit before I update again, exams are over so second semester is starting, which means band, but it also means auditions for the Spring Musical so I have to work on my song and monologue :) Wish me luck on that. Hopefully I'll update soon, we'll see. Well you know what to do, please review!

P.S. I posted a oneshot-songfic called Because You Were There, it's a sweet little thing about the Marauders, so check it out if you're so inclined :) :)

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	14. Training

**AN:** So the first chapter I uploaded ended up being the wrong one, so I hope that wasn't too confusing for anyone or anything :) I got it right this time though. Here's the next chapter, I finally had time to write it. Hope you enjoy it.

**Disclaimer: Any characters you recognize are not mine.

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Chapter 14: Training

James sat at his desk staring off at nothing, thinking, and barely catching what Remus was saying. Remus was bent over next to him, hands on the desk and pointing at the fading map on its top. A compass and backstaff rested on the edge of the map and a thin writing tool was held in between his fingers. Lines were drawn across the map, and Remus was going on about the heading, and what islands were in the suggested path. James let out a breath. Remus stopped and looked at him.

"Am I boring you? Because I thought you wanted to get to the treasure before Riddle caught up to us." Remus told him mildly.

When James didn't answer him, Remus made a face. "Have you even been listening to a word I've been saying?"

James sat up. "What would you think about me training Lily?" He asked.

Caught off guard, Remus blinked at him. "Ah…what?"

"Training her. To use that dagger she's got. If she doesn't know how to use it then what's the point of lugging it around? And a sword too, that'd be helpful as well." James went off mumbling, looking up at his surprised friend. "Well?"

"I…um…er…." Remus stumbled, trying to steady himself. "You…ah…you want to…train Lily?" James shrugged. "Where did that idea come from?"

"It just…came." Remus looked doubtful. "She's on a pirate ship Remus, she should know how to defend herself." James got up and walked around the desk, looking back at his friend.

"From who?" Remus questioned uncertainly.

"Anyone."

"Riddle?"

James shook his head abruptly. "Lily won't be fighting Riddle." I will, he added silently.

Remus looked unsure. "Couldn't it just bring more trouble, teaching her how to fight?"

James blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Well, training her might indirectly put her in more danger. She'll be confident and run into a fight instead of staying well out of it."

James bit his lip. "Lily wouldn't run away from a fight even if she didn't know how to wield a sword or dagger." He told Remus, remembering the potato encounter he'd had with Lily early on. "If she knows how to fight she's less likely to get hurt when she wants to defend herself, and Lily will want to defend herself." He added knowingly.

Remus shook his head. "It's not a good idea. When you handle a weapon people are more apt to want to test you with it. You're more likely to get into trouble."

James stared at him. "People get murdered in cold blood everyday…those are the people who have no idea how to defend themselves, and can't when the time comes." He replied coolly.

Remus raised an eye at him. "This coming from the pirate."

James' narrowed his eyes. "Any man I've ever killed had a sword or gun out on me…they had equal chance."

"And you were defending yourself." Remus added blandly.

"Don't pretend like your hands are clean." James spat at him, angry suddenly. Remus started and then mumbled under his breath.

James took a breath, calming himself down. "Lily is on a pirate ship, that just happens to be being chased by the most ruthless pirate on all the seven seas. She needs to know how to stay alive.

Remus watched him. "You're going to train her." He said, stating the coming fact. Whether I agree with it or not, he's going to do it, Remus realized silently, he'd already made up his mind, he just wanted me to know about it. Remus fixed James with a look. "Don't screw it up, James. Whatever you started on your walk away from the pub the other night, don't throw it back in her face. You only get a couple chances."

James looked at him strangely, not understanding his friend's word. But Remus just shook his head, refusing to explain. James frowned and went to the door, opened it, then paused before he left. "Oh, and by the way, your chart is off by 10 degrees, which I believe puts us somewhere up north past any inhabitable islands."

The door closed with a snap and Remus looked down at his map. "What the-" He muttered as he leaned down to inspect it. He barely heard the door open again.

"Where's James off to in such a rush?" Sirius asked coming from the door to stand near the desk.

Remus narrowed his eyes at the map, half irritated at the question and the interruption. "He's going to train Lily."

"Train? To do what?"

"Fight. To use a dagger and sword." Remus scrunched his nose staring at his map, trying to see where he'd made the mistake. He couldn't have made a mistake…but it was somewhere…maybe James was wrong….

"Fight who? Us?" Sirius continued to pester him.

"No…just defend herself from anyone else who might be a…threat."

"Oh…Riddle." Sirius paused. "That's okay then."

Those words caused Remus to look up sharply. "What? She's a young girl, how can teaching her to fight be a good thing?"

Sirius shrugged. "Well she is living on a pirate ship isn't she?" Using James' earlier argument and stating a fact that Remus obviously already knew. "Besides, Lily's not a young girl from the English Court anymore. I have a hard time remembering that she's the daughter of the Duke sometimes."

Remus bit his tongue. The daughter of the Duke taking lessons from a pirate captain on how to fight. And not fighting as the soldiers of the royal court did. It would also be what they didn't teach you in the royal guard: the tricks and secrets. That was what gave James the edge. He was one of the best swordsmen around, but his craftiness gave him more of an advantage with opponents. That was why he was the pirate, not the royal guard.

Remus shook his head. "What's it going to accomplish anyway…teaching her how to fight? She's not going to go marauding, no matter how longs she's been on this ship, she'll still be against that…and I'd hope James wouldn't let her fight, would find a way to protect her instead, when Riddle catches up to us."

"I prefer to say 'if' Riddle catches up with us." Sirius corrected. "Makes my life less stressful." Remus snorted at him. "And it could do a lot of good. Now if she and James get into a spat, they can spar out their differences instead of sending the entire ship into a frosty zone of poisonous stares and yelling matches."

Remus shook his head, letting out a small chuckle. Sirius leaned over and looked at Remus' map. "Oh and by the way, your chart's off."

-----------------------

Lily was alone in the galleys again. Cook was still in the kitchens, attempting to make some new type of bread, but she was all alone with wooden tables in the galleys. It was quiet, she could barely hear Cook in the other room, and there wasn't another pirate in sight. Lily set aside the broom she'd been using to clean the floor and leaned against the table's edge, fingering the dagger at her belt.

Touching the knife made her mind float to James. It had been three days since he'd let her come to shore with Remus, Sirius, and himself. She'd hardly talked to him since then, they'd each been centered around a certain area of the ship, having jobs of their own. It was only when they happened to be in the same area did he send her a bright smile. It wasn't often, though what James' had said before was true….it wasn't that big of a ship.

Lily smiled softly to herself. It had been nice, that night. In the company of three pirates and being in the pub, Lily wouldn't have originally thought it could be. She was glad to be proven wrong.

Lily felt the knife between her fingertips and ran her thumb up its blade, noticing her reflection glint in the metal. Red hair had grown longer and brighter in the weeks on the sea. Her skin had lost it's pale white tone, and now was tainted brown with tan. Her smile was bright and her green eyes glittered with more awareness now than they ever had. At that moment another shadowy reflection joined hers in the knife's blade and Lily gasped and whirled. She was so startled she thrust forward with the knife.

Luckily James Potter had fast reflexes and managed to grab her wrist, avoiding the knife and forcing her to drop it to the floor. The same motion brought Lily forward and with her back up against his broad chest. Lily yelped and looked up. James dropped her wrist , fixing her with an uneasy smile.

"And here I'd thought we'd come to some understanding." He told her calmly. Lily looked up at him, her neck having to crane to really see him.

"I didn't know that our 'understanding' meant you could sneak up on me whenever it pleased you, Captain Potter." Lily replied, feeling his chest move with internal laughter against her back.

"Perhaps if you hadn't been admiring your face in the blade of a deadly weapon you would've heard me come in, or at least say your name." He told her pleasantly.

Lily frowned at him, not sure how to respond. "Just because you spend more time looking over your shoulder than in a mirror does not mean that I'm bound to the same fate." She told him, moving away and turning around to face him properly.

Part of her expected James' face to storm over, and him to growl at her like he had the first time she'd mentioned his suspicious habit. But the only change was a flicker in his eyes, before James' let his smile widen. "Now how do you know I don't look into a mirror, Miss Evans?" He asked lightly.

"Well for one thing there's dirt on your chin." James brushed his fingers against his chin in surprise. "And for another, your hair looks as messy as if you'd come down from the crow's nest."

James blinked at her. "For your information, it is not dirt, it's ink." Lily snorted, hiding a smile. "And for another, I can't help how my hair is. I was born with the curse. Just as you were born with a very stubborn will."

Lily wrinkled her nose at him. "Very flattering, I assure you, Captain." She bent over to pick up the knife that was lying near her feet. James leaned against the table, watching as she straightened and wiped the dagger's blade on her shirt.

"That tool would serve a better purpose if you actually learned how to use it." James began slowly. Lily looked up at him, but James was staring at the opposite wall.

"I can throw it…"Lily told him, feeling somewhat foolish as the words came out of her mouth.

James shrugged. "Throwing it won't do a lick of good if you need to defend yourself."

Lily blinked at him. "When would I need to defend myself?" She questioned. I'm not planning on going to any ship he decides to rob, and how often do I leave this ship where I'd be around people that I would need to defend myself against, she wondered silently. Besides that, James wouldn't let any of the pirates on this ship get away with anything. Since she'd been on the ship she'd noticed that no one questioned him, no one thought twice about what he asked them to do. She hoped that James' would've already made sure she'd never have problems with anyone on his ship. Since none of the pirates had ever been truly cruel to her, she assumed that was the case.

James blinked and looked at her. "You never know. One minute you could be sailing on clear waters, the next a storm is raging around you."

Lily shivered, remembering her experience with a raging storm quite vividly. "Would you like to?" James' voice cut into her thoughts.

Lily looked at him. "Like to…?"

"Learn. How to use that knife…and a sword." James asked, holding her eyes with his. His face was serious, mouth firm and eyes dark. "Would you like to learn how to defend yourself?" He repeated.

"You-you'd teach me?" Lily asked, confused.

James nodded, a small smile spread across his lips.

Lily looked down at the knife. "Learn, how to fight?" She looked back up at him. "Like a pirate?"

James cocked his head. "Like a fighter. Pirates, Royal Guards learn the same basics. It's just how you…expand them that makes the differences."

Lily turned her head, contemplating. On one hand it could be fun. And it would be safer, to learn how to protect herself. Just in case, she thought.

On the other hand, she was still the daughter of the Duke, wasn't she? The niece of a king shouldn't be taking lessons on fighting from a pirate. The proper thing to do would be to find a way off the ship. That's what her father and her uncle would say.

Well I'm certainly not my father or my uncle, Lily concluded. And I suppose I'm not that proper anymore either. She looked back at James. "Yes."

He blinked at her, surprised. "Um…what?"

"Yes. I want to learn." She frowned slightly. "Unless you changed your mind already…"

"No." He said quickly. "No…I just thought you'd take a…bit longer to decide…but that's fine…if you're sure…?"

Lily nodded. "Okay." James breathed standing up and beginning to back up to the door. "How does later this afternoon sound?" He suggested. "To train." He said to her confused face.

Lily smiled and nodded. "Okay." James repeated, nodding his head and smiling. Lily chuckled and James grinned at her, turning and leaving the galleys as quickly as he'd come in.

Lily looked back down at the dagger in her hands. This should be interesting, she thought to herself. Very interesting.

----------------------------

Lily slowly pushed open the door to James' cabin. She knocked as she entered, cautiously this time, in case of any flying daggers. Lily scanned the room. It was even messier than before, if that was possible. But the center of the room was clear of any debris. Lily stepped more into the room, the fading light of the afternoon drifted from the wide window. She glanced around and saw James coming from standing near a case. He cast her a glance and pulled the sword out of his belt. She noticed some other weapons on his desk as he walked up and placed the newest one beside the others. He looked at her up and down and grinned.

"Are you sure about this, Miss Evans?" He questioned.

Lily cocked an eye. "You were the one that suggested it."

James smiled wider. "So I did." He agreed softly. "Well come on then, you've got to meet your tools before you use them."

Lily had to step over some rolled up maps to get to the desk. She chanced a glance around the room. "You need to clean." She told him pointedly.

James had opened his mouth to start, but stopped to look at her. "What?" He asked.

She looked at him. "You need to clean this room. It's a mess. How do you find anything?"

"That's not the point of why you're here right now." James pointed out.

"No…but that doesn't change the fact that its a mess. Why don't you clean it up?" Lily asked him, glancing around again. It was messier than her playroom as a child had ever been.

James wrinkled his nose at her in a frustrated way. "I know where everything is…it's a system."

"A system?"

"Yes a system. So don't go thinking about mixing it all up by…cleaning." James told her. "It's clean enough for my liking."

"Didn't your mother teach you to keep things tidy?" Lily asked him.

James frowned at her. "Do you want to learn how to fight or not?"

"I do."

"Then button that lip of yours and pay attention." He told her abruptly. Lily made a face, but let the argument drop. She had decided in the past couple hours that she really did want to learn, and was excited about the prospect. If she had to bite her lip to keep her ideas in her mouth, then she'd do it….at least for now. Later she'd let James have it. She smiled slightly, focusing on what James was saying.

"There's a few different kinds of swords." He pointed to a thicker bladed sword. "That's a rapier, it's mainly used for thrusting at an opponent." He directed her eyes to a thinner blade. "That's a cutlass, it can cut through any thick rope, but is short enough where you could fight in close proximity . I use this one more often." He picked up his own personal sword. Slightly longer than the others, it had a thin blade and brown handle, accustomed to his grip.

Lily was looking at what else was on the desk. A long knife and a short one, two of each. An ax, smaller than she'd seen before, and a pistol that was dark and lined with a silver color. She reached to touch it but James snatched it up.

"No, you're not learning how to use that…at least not yet." He told her, setting the gun aside.

Lily looked at him. "Why not?"

He eyed her levelly. "Because. You're also not here to learn about how to use that." He pointed to the ax. "Unless you want to also learn how to board other ships." Lily send him a frown and James nodded. "That's what I thought. Here." He handed her the cutlass and she nearly dropped it, unaccustomed to the weight it had. Heavier and longer than the dagger she'd been handling, she felt awkward holding it in her right palm.

"You'll get used to it." James told her, showing her his own sword in his grip. "Now hold it like this." He carefully directed her fingers into their rightful position, until Lily stood with the sword pointed diagonal across her body. James looked at her oddly. "You don't have to stand at attention. This isn't the your uncle's army." He informed her. Lily let her arm fall so the sword was pointed down toward the ground. "The first thing you learn is to parry."

"Why?" She asked.

James looked at her and sighed. "Nosy." He told her for no reason in particular. Lily sent him a look and he continued, "Because that's the way you defend yourself against the opponents blows."

"What about actually fighting him?" Lily asked.

"If he's attacking you, and you can protect yourself so he doesn't get a blow in then you win without having to attack him in return. You're learning how to defend yourself, not how to kill someone else."

Lily watched him. "Will I learn both?"

"You'll _need_ both, eventually." James agreed. "But first you're going to learn how to parry. Blade up, Lily."

No Miss Evans anymore, Lily thought agreeably, lifting up the sword. He continued to go back and forth with the names, but more often then not she was getting "Lily" instead of the accustomed "Miss Evans". She liked it better, Lily was her name, "Miss Evans" just sounded like an old maid somewhere. And she wasn't particularly fond of the idea of James calling her by an old maid name.

James set aside his sword and lifted her elbow and angled her sword just so. It fell across her, away from her body, the flat part of the blade facing James. He picked up his sword.

"Now when an opponent comes at you, like this." He moved abruptly toward her, blade out. Lily yelped, and stumbled backwards, dropping the sword. James had stopped almost a foot from Lily and was looking at her in an exasperated way.

"Well you certainly don't do that." He told her roughly.

"You hadn't told me what to do, how was I supposed to know?" She argued. "And besides, you didn't tell me you were going to attack me."

"I wasn't actually going to meet your blade." He argued back with her as she bent and picked up her sword. "Rule number one, don't ever _ever _drop your sword." Lily nodded and positioned her sword again. James sighed. "Let's try again. I'm not going to attack you." He warned her this time. Lily nodded, tightening her grip on the sword. "When his blade comes down." James brought the blade slowly down toward her with one hand. "You put your sword like this." With his other hand he took her arm and angled it up so that the flat side hit his blade. There was a soft clang of metal and Lily blinked.

"You understand that?" James asked. Lily nodded. "Then try it." He brought his sword down, a little faster and Lily hit it with her blade's side, feeling it reverberate through her arm. James nodded. "Again." He told her.

Orders, more orders, Lily thought to herself. Her thoughts must have translated to her face. James' lips tightened and brought his sword down a little faster. Lily caught it, but as she did, James twisted his sword and the sword was ripped from her hand. In the same movement that pushed the sword away from her, Lily felt her body turn and James other hand yanked her arm so she was up against him, his sword at her throat in a matter of seconds.

Lily held back a gasp, afraid that if she made the slightest move the blade would cut her throat. She needn't have worried, the blade was inches from her throat, but Lily swore she could feel the steel against her skin. James' breath was hot in her ear as he spoke, "That'll happen if you're not careful, Lily. If you don't concentrate and learn it so its second nature then you're going to end up with a sword or knife at your throat. They don't mess around, pirates that is. If you think about something else while you fight, you're dead. You have to be focused entirely on staying alive, because you can bet he'll be focused entirely on killing you."

Lily held her breath, feeling her heart pound in her chest, too afraid to look up at James. His grip on her arm hadn't loosened, nor had his sword dropped yet.

"You have to think quick, and you can't treat it like an art, like a hobby as some of those guards of your uncle's who flaunt their swords for show do. You have to want to stay alive, want to know it. You can't second guess it, can't not concentrate on it. And you can't pretend like you'll get a second chance, because that is not guaranteed. Do you understand?" He asked her.

Lily barely inclined her head and James let her arm go, dropping his sword as well. Lily stumbled away from him and looked at him, with a look of half horror in her eyes. James just stood there, his face relaxed, his eyes serious. This wasn't a game to him, Lily realized, this isn't some favor, some whim. It's important, to him. It should be important to me, just as serious and important.

Lily remembered standing in her uncle's castle one summer and watching the men train and spar in the courtyard. They had pretty ways of fighting, interesting designs they danced with their feet and swords. But when it all came down to it, they were just making a show of it. James wasn't teaching her pretty, theater fighting, he was teaching her the real thing, the thing that actually kept you alive.

Lily nodded again, meeting James' eye. "I understand." She whispered to him.

She saw his shoulders relax and he gave her a small smile. "Oh, and don't be so rigid and stiff. That won't help your fluid movements." He told her.

Lily nodded, not needing to fight a smile. This wasn't a smiling matter, not right now. Right now she was learning how to stay alive, if she ever needed it. James let out a breath. "Ready to try that again?"

--------------------------

Remus pushed Sirius in the shoulder as he tried to catch a glimpse of James and Lily's practice session. Sirius has been a horrible influence on me, Remus decided as he crouched with his friend at the door of James' cabin, watching the drama on the inside. Lily was getting better and quicker by every passing moment. And she wasn't treating it like a hobby anymore, she was treating the training, the sword itself, as a tool. Of course, James had a hand in that. Remus had almost lost it when he'd seen James grab Lily and put his sword to her throat. If it hadn't been for Sirius he might very well have run in there and pummeled his friend himself. He hadn't heard what James had told Lily, but whatever it was, Remus guessed it had an affect on the girl. She was watching James like a student to a teacher, not a friend to a semi-friend.

Remus and Sirius watched as Lily caught James' sword with her parry above and then to the side, then again above. Faster each time. James was, of course, still faster, but then again he was James, and to Lily's credit she was starting to be able to keep up with him. Of course James was going slower than he normally would've, but still there was obvious improvement in the time that the First and Second Mate had been crouched at the door watching, allowing their legs to fall into a tingly sleep.

"She's getting good." Sirius muttered softly as Lily blocked a difficult downward blow from James.

Remus winced as James hooked her sword and sent it flying out of Lily's hand. "He's not letting her get confident though, is he?"

"Confidence and cockiness are two entirely different things." Sirius pointed out. "She's getting the confidence, he just doesn't want her to think she can do anything quite yet." He glanced at Remus over his shoulder. "Don't you remember him doing that to us a couple times?"

Remus snorted. "He still does it to us, even though we're no longer wet-behind-the-ears adolescents."

Sirius chuckled, then looked thoughtful. "Wonder why James suggested it…to train Lily." Sirius studied the scene before him. Lily had picked up her sword again and was positioning her blade. "Obviously to defend herself…"

"There's more." Remus said matter-of-factly, studying how James struck at Lily's sword, a fleck of sweat dripping down his face, his lips turned slightly in a grin.

Sirius looked at him. "Do you think on that moonlight walk they had-"

Remus shook his head. "James is a fool, but he's not that kind of fool. And Lily…well she's related to royalty."

Sirius shrugged. "I've met plenty of people related to royalty and their morals were lower than dirt."

"Were they all wenches trying to seduce you?"

They watched the teacher and student a little longer before Remus felt his aching legs finally protest loudly. Groaning slightly he stood up, back away from the door. "Come on, Sirius. I don't want my legs to be permanently fixed in this position."

Sirius grumbled but followed his friend away from the door. The two men walked along the railing, scanning the sea. "Why do you think there's more to James' reasons?" Sirius asked Remus, leaning against the rail, watching the sun sending purples, pinks, reds, and oranges across the sky and horizon.

Remus studied the colors as well. "I don't know. I just think there is." He shook his head. "They're changing. They hated each other the moment James tied her to a contract. They bickered, yelled…"

"Don't forget threw potatoes." Sirius added.

"Yes that too. And then James let that boy go, then saved her…somehow he proved to Lily that maybe pirates weren't all that stories heard through closed doors makes them out to be. And that little detail, that small ray of hope in the storm…trust in the form of something as simple as a dagger…changed something between them. They'll still argue, but there'll be a point to it. They won't be trying to match will with each other to see who'll break first, they'll do it to understand each other. And it'll matter more, each argument, anything that comes out of it, each small measure of trust that one gives the other. It's going to matter more than ever now. To each of them."

Sirius watched Remus, eyes widening, a secret realization seeming to dawn on him. "You think they're falling in love."

"I didn't say that." Remus pointed out. "I can't say that…not yet."

"James' theory of love is mixed up and matched to the wrong star in the sky." Sirius argued. "But that doesn't mean he can't-"

"I didn't say that either." Remus broke in. "James could…he just won't…at least not yet."

"So you're saying they're growing closer." Sirius said slowly. "But not falling in love."

Remus sighed and looked at his friend. "Sirius, if a wench fell in love with you, would you fall in love with her the moment she said it to your face?"

Sirius shook his head. "No…but Lily's no wench."

"I know that. Here's my point. Something has to give for someone to admit they're in love. Giving someone a dagger, telling them your life story doesn't cut it, not even a kiss will. It's something big that breaks that ice."

Sirius bit his lip. "How big?"

Remus let out a breath and averted his eyes to the long horizon stretching out in behind them. "Big." He told Sirius. "Bigger than anything that has ever happened."

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I hope it wasn't too confusing toward the end or anything :) Please tell me if it was so I can go edit/fix it to make it more understandable. Hope you guys liked it, I'm plannig on updating as soon as I can, but since my scheduale is forever changing, I don't know when exactly that will be. Until then, please review and give me your thoughs :) Thanks 


	15. Black Sails, Dark Nights

Hey guys. Sorry for the wait, I think it was a bit shorter this time than it usually is. Thanks to all of you that read the story and reviewed, I'm so glad youg guys are enjoying it.

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters you recognize from the Harry Potter books, but I do own the storyline and Cook and Captain Ribbs ;)

Hope you enjoy

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Chapter 15-Black Sails, Dark Nights

James felt his arm vibrate as his sword met Lily's for what must have been the hundredth time that day. Still, his arm was less tired than hers, he could tell as her sword, though it caught his, fell back slightly. James tore his sword away and let it come at her from the left. Lily's sword swung and met his, as she gripped it vertically with both hands.

"You're getting quicker." He allowed, smirking at her.

Lily let out her breath and met his eyes. She panted slightly from holding his sword with hers, his arm strength was more than her own. "Thank you…"

James shook his head, a grin on his face. That grin that always crept onto his features, Lily thought to herself, the grin that meant he thought he knew more than you, that almost always meant he was one step ahead of you, maybe two.

"You're too polite…you've been on a pirate ship for more than three months, and you're still saying 'thank you'. You don't need to be polite. It would be better if you weren't at all." He barked at her. Lily jumped slightly and James cut down to the right and Lily barely caught the blow, as well as the next two that quickly followed.

Lily swallowed as her arms protested the work. Two straight weeks of training. She was getting faster, but was always a hair slower than James, she was getting stronger but was always a hair weaker. And she still didn't know how to go on the attack, just how to defend herself.

I don't want to have to defend myself all the time…I want to call the shots, I want to decide where he has to block instead of the other way around, Lily thought gruffly.

James' eyes glinted and Lily fought to hide a groan as she parried his blade. That look that meant he was going to teach her to focus instead of letting her mind wander. Of course he was right, but Lily knew they'd been at the training for a couple hours at least. She was worn and tired, and she couldn't imagine how James wasn't.

Well of course he probably has had nothing to do for the past couple years than perfect his stamina when it came to swordplay.

That next moment James sent her sword sprawling across the floor and Lily found herself looking down at a sword point. "You lost your concentration again." He told her, if only a little smugly. He dropped his sword arm and Lily's shoulders sagged. "You can't-"

"Do that, it'll get me killed." Lily finished, and was rewarded with a somewhat surprised look on James' face. "I do listen, James Potter, I'm just tired." James' face clouded and Lily smiled at him. "Of course that is no excuse…the enemy could use that to his advantage if I wasn't careful."

James raised an eyebrow at her. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to mock me, Lily Evans." Without waiting for a reply he nodded his head toward Lily's fallen sword, a set look on his face. "Go on let's give it another go."

Lily felt her stomach sink. Another go? She didn't know if she had enough energy to even walk across the couple feet to pick up her weapon, let alone prevent James from sending it across the room again. James looked at her, almost daring her to give in to her aching body.

He knows I'm exhausted, Lily concluded to herself, watching the hazel-eyed pirate blink at her. I am not letting him win though. Lily stuck out her chin and walked over to get her sword.

Behind her James held back a smile and a laugh. She always got rung so tightly when she thought she was besting him, thought she was proving him wrong. Every time Lily thought he was daring her to do the impossible she would stick out that pretty little chin of hers and go through her exhaustion and pride to prove that she could do it.

That sort of spirit can either make you the survivor who gets up after every blow, James decided, or the person lying dead on the ground from lack of sense.

He watched Lily bend down to pick up the sword, watching the slow movement. She was resilient, he had to give her that. Every time he said "Let's give it another go" she did, any time he disarmed her and sent her running after her sword, which he did often James complimented himself, she would stoop down and get it, even if she did send a steely look at him in the process.

It was worth the glare in her gaze, though, to see that bright fire in her eyes her gumption showing through, that set shape of her lips as she frowned down his comments. James smiled slightly, his eyes dancing.

Lily gripped her sword and stood slowly, tightening her grip on the handle. She let out a sigh and almost turned back to James when she spotted a picture lying on the shelf. It was old but still bright with color. Curiously Lily reached out and picked it up, examining it with her eyes.

On the brown sheet of paper was painted a woman and a man. The woman was dressed in a blue dress, long and flowing down to the floor painted along the bottom of the page. Her hair fell about her shoulders and her smile illuminated the precisely painted face. The man was dressed in black and white, holding the woman's waist and hand, leading her in a dance along the page. Lily smiled softly at the sheet, memories of balls in her uncle's court flowed through her memory. The gowns, colors, and music all coming back to her as she stared at the picture.

James looked at Lily with confusion, she hadn't moved from the place she stood, and she'd picked something else up. James set aside his sword and walked up to her. "Lily, are you-" He stopped, looking at the picture held in her hand. "Where'd you-"

"It was lying on the shelf. It's beautiful, did you make it." She stared up at him, having completely forgotten about the sword in her hand.

James felt his skin begin to become increasingly hotter around the neck. "No…I'm a pirate I don't paint pictures…" He told her sharply.

"Oh." She looked down at it. "Where'd you get it?"

James blinked at her. Why was she always so curious? If it wasn't about the sword movements it was about books, if it wasn't about the books on his shelf it was about the port they'd be at next, or it was about a map, or why he looked nervous, or what had he said that made Sirius turn as red as a beet. If it wasn't one thing it was another. In some ways James found it amusing, that she could be so curious about everything on the pirate ship, but on the other hand she'd been on it for over three months, he would've though by now she'd know all the answers to all her pestering questions. Lily looked up at him, her eyes questioning and James held back a sigh. Apparently not.

"I found it." He told her, taking the picture from her hands and gazing at the familiar strokes of the paint brush.

Lily gave him a look. "Found on a ship you were plundering?" She asked, almost icily.

James sent her a quick look. "No, as a matter of fact I didn't. I found it in one of the ports we visited and I kept it." Lily was still looking at him with a measuring gaze. "I didn't steal it, Miss Judgmental." Lily scowled at him. "I simply found it and took it with me, if I hadn't no one else would've, and no one was obviously missing it."

Lily softened her look, if only slightly. She still didn't like how James had so eloquently worded "finding" the parchment. "Why did you keep it then?" She asked him.

James' ears felt suddenly warm as he looked anywhere but at Lily. "It was…ah…well I was young….stupid…." Lily glanced at him and James felt his lies fad away by the look in her eyes. "I thought it looked nice…it was something I'd never seen before. It just made me wonder if they really looked like that…all the royalty and their fancy homes with their lavish parties." Lily smiled, running her hand along the painted gown.

"Not always…but sometimes." She admitted slowly. She remembered the gowns that were made for her and her cousins before a ball, how they vainly dressed and had maids fix their hair, with the fantasy impression that perhaps across the ballroom their eyes would lock with their soul mate.

Of course a lot of that was a young girl's giggling dreams. They never locked eyes with any man, and were allowed hardly enough time at the ball to make more than a scant impression. Then they would recede to their quarters and giggle like children about Duke Dashing or Count Charisma. Foolish, now that Lily thought about it. When there were more important things going on, we gaggled like geese.

James watched Lily's slender fingers run along the painted gown, slowly as if memorizing each brush stroke. He couldn't blame her, he'd done it himself countless times. He remembered sitting against the wall, running his hands along the page, believing that something that beautiful, that alien to him as two people dancing with love in their eyes could actually happen to real people. James shook his head slightly, dreams of a young boy, he scoffed to himself. That's what he'd been, a young boy of 19, barely dry behind the ears with a stolen ship under his belt, a secret key hidden away, and the crazy notion that he could actually make it as a pirate on the seven seas, rivaling all others and making all of England fear his ship.

Well he'd seen how that lovely idea had worked out.

James' thoughts broke when he heard a soft melody playing in his head. Warm with softly moving notes drifting around in the desired tune. I'm finally loosing it, James thought amazed. Nightmares in my bed, and now a song in my head? It was then that he realized the song wasn't in his head at all, but pressing against his ears. He glanced down and noticed Lily's lips barely moving, the skin on her neck seemed to vibrate as she hummed out the cords of the distant song. James watched her lips parting to let out the soft song, her fingers running their pattern along the page as the notes enveloped him. His eyes threatened to close under the soft music, sending a serene blanket over him.

Lily smiled against the melodic sound. The song of her first ball forever imprinted in her mind drifted from her lips finding a home in the air surrounding the pirate and cook's assistant. Lily's hand brushed James' and she looked up at him to find his eyes half closed against he music, his mouth slightly curled in a smile. A soft, caring smile that made a buzzing run up along Lily's arms. She stopped and as if snapped out of a daze, James opened his eyes, staring at her, shocked for a moment, his hand tightening around the paper.

Lily bit her lip and smiled at him. "Where did you…what was…?" James' voice was hoarse, yet soft as if he didn't want to scare away the hummed notes that seemed to still hang around them.

Lily didn't know how to answer. She'd forgotten the name of the song…even it's type. Only that she remembered feeling comforted when she'd first heard it. It was the song her cousins first danced to at the ball, the one she'd refused the dance from a count if only to have the chance to stand at the window and watch the stars falling in the sky as if enchanted by the music.

"I…don't recall…." She told him, just as softly, her head tilted up to him. Her hand rested on his that gripped the sheet of paper. The feeling of the parchment, worn to softness, contrasted the callused hand that rested on the edge of her palm.

"That's silly…to hum a song you don't know." James looked down at her, his voice and eyes devoid of teasing.

"Oh I know it." She corrected him. "I know the song…just not it's name. There's a difference."

James didn't seem to have a reply, he just watched her staring back up at him, straining his ears as if he could grasp the fading last notes of the tune before they disappeared forever.

A sound near the door startled them both. Lily's hand dropped and she stumbled back to the bookcase, almost dripping over her newly discovered sword. James stepped away, the picture falling from his hands to the floor.

Sirius strutted through the now open door into the cabin. He took in the situation in a glance, quirking an eyebrow at Lily first, then James, who fought to look his friend in the face. "So…" The first mate murmured, glancing between the two. "You two were…?"

"Training." Lily and James said at almost the same moment, looking at each other then back at Sirius, who nodded his head, a sly look on his face.

"Ah…training." He crossed his arms over his chest and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So the lesson today is…close contact combat?" A smirk cross his lips as he watched Lily's neck turn pink and James shift uneasily, unable to find any words.

"Sirius what do you want?" James finally managed to say.

"If the lovely Lily wouldn't mind, I need a word with the Captain of this noble vessel." Sirius waggled an eyebrow at James. "Unless he's too busy of course…"

"No…we were done." James said quickly, too quickly as Lily glanced at him sharply. "You should rest your sword arm anyway." James tried to explain. Lily stared at him for a moment, then glanced at Sirius.

"Okay…" She murmured, stiffly handing the sword back to James. She shuffled past Sirius and left, letting to door softly click behind her.

Sirius watched her go then turned back to James, a crafty look across his features. "Well…"

James scowled at him shoving past him to place Lily's sword on the top of a shelf. "You better have a damn good reason for butting in here, Sirius."

"Why? Is training that much fun?" Sirius asked innocently.

James growled at him, a gravely sound that emanated from the back of his throat. The noise subsided and James stooped to pick up the fallen picture, setting it back up on the book shelf, studying it one last time. "What do you want, Sirius?" James repeated, not turning his eyes back to his friend.

"Well." Sirius began coming over and grabbing James' shoulders. "I was just wondering if our captain would care to inspect the view outside his window." He turned James abruptly toward the outer wall that held the large picture window.

"Why would I want to…." James' voice faded off and his voice stopped in his throat as his stomach plummeted. Panic began to slowly coarse through his blood.

"Thought you'd want to know. Those are black sails, not black clouds. And whoever is on that ship isn't here to make nice."

James swallowed hard, then finding he couldn't. He stared out his window, watching as the black sails of the oncoming ship hovered on the horizon, like wings on a hawk, blocking out the sun. Waves ran from its side as it cut through the water with a deadly silence. As his stomach clenched, James knew that somewhere on that ship was Captain Tom Riddle.

"How….he wasn't….how, Sirius?" James couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight, couldn't blink even as he wished he could to see if the ship would disappear.

"He wasn't there one minute, and the next we've got a vulture on our wake. He's not using our wind…isn't really that close, but he's close enough to give me chills up my skin." Sirius said, moving to stand shoulder to shoulder with James.

James stared slack-jawed at the ship. True it wasn't on their wind, and really the dark ship was just hovering over the horizon, waiting. But it was still too close. After being almost non-existent for the past couple months James couldn't stop the tearing feeling inside as he stared at the ship as if he was staring at death.

"Make sure we stay ahead of him." James' order was barely a whisper, fighting to make sure it didn't shake.

"No argument." Sirius agreed, staring at the same sight that James was fixed on.

"Don't let Peter get slack on his watch…make sure he sticks to it and alerts us if that ship gets even a wind's breath closer."

Sirius nodded, keeping his silence.

James let out a breath, his shoulders sagging, the key that sat on his desk, where he'd put it before the training, flashed in the sunlight as if it was alerting its pursuer to its location.

"And whatever you do." James murmured, his hands shaking at his sides. "Don't you let that son of a bitch catch us."

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Lily opened her eyes slowly. She hadn't truly been asleep, her mind had been too busy wondering about what she had heard crouched behind James' cabin door after she'd been sent away.

At first she'd felt guilty for listening, even more guilty when she'd worked hard to hear every word then not get caught by Sirius or James coming out of the cabin. Then the guilt had subsided to worry and fear as she'd leaned over the side of the ship, and with squinting eyes had spotted the black ship following them, as a cat casually follows a mouse; toying with it first, killing it when it's least expecting it.

However, the uneasiness in Sirius' voice, and the fear in James', that fear scared Lily more than seeing the ship on the horizon. It sounded half as if he was tired of being scared, yet preparing for it to get worse. What could scare him that much? Lily wondered. Even during a raging storm he hadn't shown fear.

But he had admitted to it before, the fear his nightmares brought him. And the fear of some evil pirate that haunted him.

The same pirate who was in my dream, Lily wondered. For there was little doubt in her mind that the man in her nightmare had been a pirate. A face like his and that voice…it could belong to no one else. It was only an assumption that Lily called the man on the black ship a pirate, but what honest sailor would have a dark ship with black sails? She wondered.

Finally Lily could not take lying in her bed, watching the shadows on the walls any longer. She disentangled herself from her blankets and slipped her feet into her boots. She was already in a shirt and pants, so she pulled her boots up slightly and then crept silently out of her cabin.

First she made her way toward the galleys. Light streamed out of the half opened door and she paused at the archway. The only resident was Sirius, seated and holding a bottle of rum. A solemn look marked his face, his eyes studying the liquid in front of him, unaware of Lily's presence. Slowly she backed away from the door, and turning made her way to the steps leading above deck.

When Lily finally made it on the deck she glanced around, the wind had faded off to a touching breeze. Wisps of clouds patch-worked the sky, allowing the stars to blink through. Lily embraced the silence as, choosing her steps carefully, she made her way across the silent deck.

She glanced around, and saw no one. Nothing breathed on the ship, nothing moved. She half wanted to pinch herself to make sure this wasn't some other dream, but refrained as she stopped at the base of the landing, looking up to see James. He stood, staring out in front of him, holding the wheel with both hands, his shirt casually unbuttoned halfway and rolled up to his elbows, despite the coldness in the air.

Lily gazed up at him, unsure of whether to move or not, until he started as if he knew someone was watching him. However, instead of looking over his shoulder as instinct dictated, he looked down and found himself staring into her face. A slow smile crossed his features, his eyes glittered in the light of the moon and he inclined his head ever so slightly.

Lily took it as an invitation and slowly mounted the stairs, one at a time, until she was on the landing, looking across as James. She stepped closer and leaned on the rail, smiling at him.

James watched her, casually leaning on the rail of the ship, his ship, looking like she belonged there, on the sea in the middle of the night. He smiled, not quite knowing why and asked the first thing that came to him, "Couldn't sleep?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No…not at all."

James grinned at her. "The spiders again?"

Lily bit back a laugh, letting her smile widen. "You really should get that insect problem fixed, Mr. Potter." She informed him.

James chuckled to himself. "I'll be sure to bear that in mind next time the Royal Inspector pays a visit on my pirate ship." He challenged. Lily shook her head at him, but the smile stayed.

James slowly let his eyes roam over her. Her hair was mused from lying in bed, but still shone red in the white light of the stars and moon, her green eyes lit with amusement danced at him. A glimmer of an idea crossed James mind and he jerked his head. "Come here." He told her.

Lily paused, unsure of what to do. James held out his left hand. "Come on…do you want to learn?"

Puzzled, Lily stepped closer. "Learn what?"

"To steer a ship, Miss Evans." His hand stayed outstretched, beckoning to her. Lily considered it a moment, and taking a breath, took his hand. He guided her over in front of him so that she felt the his warm skin that peaked from under his shirt against the back of her neck. He settled her right hand under his, and her left hand opposite of it.

"Now just keep the wheel steady. The sails'll do the rest." His voice murmured in a hot breath next to her ear. James' chin almost rested on her shoulder and his cheek was close to hers. She felt his hand begin to leave the tops of hers and she panicked.

"What if I run into something?"

The chuckle rumbled through James and ran through her skin that touched his. "What are you going to run into in the middle of the ocean?" He teased her. "A sea turtle?"

Despite the undercurrent of worry that she would indeed run into something, Lily smiled at the comment, trying to relax her grip on the wheel. She almost didn't notice it when James pulled away from her to lean his back on the front railing, his body turned to the waves behind them.

He watched her, hands gripping the wooden wheel, beginning to become a part of the wheel and the ship. "See…it's not that hard." He told her. Lily smiled to herself and James grinned. He turned his head and found himself staring back to the horizon, into the face of the dark ship that still waited there. His smile fell and his face became like stone.

Lily turned to look at him and stopped, seeing his face change as he gazed out across the ocean. She turned her gaze behind her and caught sight of the black ship that. by some trick of the moons', was still visible at night. Lily swallowed and looked back at James. He was silent, Lily almost wondered if he'd even forgotten that she was there. She swallowed, gaining some strength before she plunged forward.

"Who is he?"

James' head turned and his stone-like eyes bore into her. Lily shifted uncomfortably at the gaze.

He never answered your questions before, one side of her warned. Why start now?

Things are different now than they were before, Lily argued back.

Her other side laughed at her. How? He's still a pirate.

James watched her, unaware of the internal battle being fought inside her head. Lily licked her lips, unsure of herself. "I…heard you and Sirius talking earlier…after training…" She stumbled over her words, yet kept her eyes even with his, though her cheeks began to flush.

James raised an eyebrow, though his eyes stayed still. "You eavesdropped." It wasn't a question.

Lily shifted her hands on the wheel and ducked her head slightly. "You pick up nasty habits on a pirate ship." She told him, looking at him from under her brows. She thought she caught his amused look before he turned his face back to stare at the black ship. Lily felt her shoulders sag as he turned away from her. He's not going to tell me anything, Lily though as a faint disappointment clouded her mind.

"Do you remember before, when you asked me why I always looked over my shoulder?" James' voice startled Lily, and she could barely nod. Of course she remembered, did he ever think she would forget?

"He's why." James again fell silent for a moment. Lily looked over her shoulder at the black ship, then back at James. " 'He' is Tom Marvelo Riddle. Pirate Captain of _The Serpent_. And the evilest, most vile pirate to pollute the seven seas."

Lily's hands shook as she grasped the wheel. "He is the most feared pirate to ever exist." James went on, staring off into nothing as if he was reciting words from a book. "Eyes like black pits that seem tinted red when he sets his gaze on you. A voice that makes your skin crawl for cover and makes you wish to be a small child so you could huddle under your blankets." James shook his head, and Lily wondered if he was shaking it at himself.

The familiarity in which James spoke of Captain Tom Riddle intrigued Lily. How could James know such a man that well…and still be alive? "You sound as if you've met him before." Lily said slowly.

The corners of James' mouth twitched in something between a scowl and a smirk. "Oh I've met Captain Riddle, once. And it was a time too many." His eyes gazed off into the memory. "He has a way about him, Lily. He hunts you down during the day, and haunts you at night." Remembering her nightmare and the pirate's dreadful face made Lily shiver again.

"Why is he coming after you?" Lily asked when she'd stopped shaking.

James looked at her. "The same reason half the world would be after me if I let my little secret slip." He told her, fingering the color of his shirt.

Lily noticed at once what was missing. Of course he couldn't always carry it around, Lily scolded herself. But for some reason the idea that the key wasn't around James' neck unnerved her. "The key." She mumbled. She looked up at James. "He's after the key?"

"More importantly the treasure." James corrected, somewhat smugly.

Is he proud that a mad pirate is after him? Lily wondered to herself. Or is he just mad as well? "I thought you said only you, Sirius, and Remus knew you had it…."

"That I did." James agreed. "And, now including you, that small group is the only one I can be certain knows of it." James scowled. "There's just a rat on my ship that seems to know a little too much and gladly let it slip to Riddle that I had what he'd been looking for."

"A…rat?" Lily wondered.

"A spy, a sneak, a rat. Someone who's only fooling one side while being loyal to the opposing one." James explained. "Selling information for gold, getting a doggy bag every time he brings his master a treat of news." James spat on the ground in disgust. "When I find out who did it, who sold the secret of my key out to Riddle, I'll kill that bas-" a quick glance at Lily and James changed his words-"snake. I swear it."

Lily bit her lips, but the words fell out anyway. "The spy…he would have to have known about the key….and you said only you three knew…"

James' eyes flashed at her. "Don't accuse them. Neither Sirius nor Remus would do that sort of thing…they'd die first." The confidence in which he spoke of his friends warmed Lily's heart. Loyalty wasn't something James lacked, he just wasn't loyal to a _legal_ cause.

Lily let her earlier words fall away into the forgotten, running the palm of her hand along the spokes of the wheel. "So he's coming for you….for your key?" Her voice was quiet.

James blinked in the darkness. "For the key to the treasure…and for my head on a platter served by none other than himself." James nodded. "Aye."

Lily turned her head from the black ship. The nightmare she'd had before was ripping her insides as she fought to forget it. But the dark ship looming in the background only brought alive the feelings again. That hopeless feeling while standing at the feet of a murderer. And that man who lay dead on the deck….

James had turned in time to see Lily's shoulders start to shake and felt a strange guilt in the pit of his stomach. His bitter words about Riddle always came out harsh, but normally that was when he was around Sirius and Remus, not around a girl like Lily. Never around a girl like Lily.

Swallowing hard James reached over and placed a hand on Lily's shoulder, stepping close to her and turning his shoulder toward the horizon. He hadn't wanted to scare her, hadn't planned on it. He hadn't even planned on answering that long ago question, yet it was now out in the open.

"Don't be scared of him, Lily." James spoke without thinking.

Lily stuck out her chin and James almost smiled at the face she made. "I'm not…" Her voice shook and he could tell she was lying, but didin't press it.

"Well…that's good." He said instead, watching her

She looked at him. "Are you?"

James rolled his eyes and scoffed at her. "Me? A pirate captain scared of a him? You make me out to be a coward, Miss Evans."

Lily chuckled to herself slightly. "I would never do such a thing, Captain Potter." She challenged him.

James reached over and tweaked her nose. "See that you don't." He reminded her brightly, hiding the uneasiness churning inside of him with a smile.

Lily smiled back, then glanced over her shoulder and unconsciously shivered. James looked her over with a concern he couldn't explain. "You should go on to bed, Lily." He told her softly.

Lily tore her eyes away from the sight and glared at him. "You can't order me about, James Potter." She told him gruffly, though she could feel the sleep beginning to wear down her limbs.

James frowned at her. "Back to that again are we, little flower?" He groaned. "Listen to me, you can't do anything about Riddle. No one can, leastwise not right now." There was an edge of hopelessness in his voice that made Lily's pity reach out of him. "So the best thing to do…is get to bed." He ended it with an order, soft but commanding and Lily felt herself giving in to the order.

She released the wheel and James placed his left hand on the spokes to steady it, dropping his right from her shoulder. "Nothing anyone can do?" She asked him softly.

James smiled with a saddening face. "I've run my mind over every possible thing, and nothing." He told her. "Don't you fret your head about it Lily, I'll handle it…that's my job as captain…and as it's my fault in the first place, I'll handle Riddle when the time comes."

Lily opened her mouth to reply but found she couldn't form any words to make the sad smile go away, or make the feeling of hopelessness that had settled around James evaporate. She nodded once and made to go past him, brushing his arm. Then she paused and, as if on an impulse, leaned up and left a soft kiss on James' cheek. She pulled back and quickly turned away from him, then all but fled the landing. Unsure of what she'd just done, Lily disappeared across the deck and then down the stairs.

James gaped at the disappearing figure. It'd only been a mere brush of the lips but his cheek felt as if it were on fire. He let his right fingers run across his cheek and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

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Pushing open the door to the galleys, James leaned against the door frame, smiling slightly when he noticed Sirius sitting at one of the tables with a jug of rum. Sirius looked up, upon seeing James his face lit up. "James, I thought you were at the wheel."

James shrugged, stepping over toward the table. "Mitz came and took over. Good thing too, it was getting cold." Sirius grinned up at him. "So," James went on. "You getting druink?"

Sirius chuckled. "I only get drunk when wenches are around." He replied, snatching two nearby mugs and placing them on the table.

James sat down and took one of the mugs as Sirius filled up both. Sirius held his own mug, resting his elbow on the table. "Cheers, mate."

James raised his glass. "What are we toasting to?"

"Being alive so far." Sirius said. With a laugh James clinked mugs and downed the rum,. Sirius filled both of them again, then stuffed the cork back in the bottle. James toyed with the rim of his mug as Sirius slurped up some of the rum in his own.

Sirius let out a breath, studying the wooden design on the table. His eyes were thoughtful for a moment before he spoke. "Eh, James?"

"Hm?" James was busy watching his reflection in the reddish liquid.

"Do you ever….get scared…just thinking about Riddle and all?" James looked up and Sirius went on to add, "I mean I know we're pirates…and pirates are supposed to be all manly….and well not scared…"

James chuckled at his friend. "All the time." He replied truthfully. "You?"

Sirius sheepishly grinned at him. "There's not enough blankets on my bed to hide under sometimes." James laughed, of course Sirius was exaggerating a bit, but it was still nice to know he wasn't the only one feeling a bit of fear.

"Makes me wish we were back being young kids, running around without a care in the world. So high and mighty, we thought nothing could touch us, not even the King's law." Sirius thought for a moment. "Though I guess, technically speaking, the King's law still can't touch us."

James smiled. "When you find a trinket that can send you back to that time, let me know and I'll grab on." James told Sirius. "Anything without keys, treasures, or Riddle."

"The treasures not all bad." Sirius pointed out.

James snorted. "If we could ever find the bloody thing." He muttered.  
Sirius shrugged and took a swig of rum, before realizing his mug was dry. He then went about trying to uncork the bottle of rum sitting on the table.

James ignored his friend's antics, studying the rum. He dipped his finger into the liquid and swirled it around. In the clay mug with the dim light the liquid almost looked like blood. James pulled his finger from the rum and let it drip down in drops from the tip of his finger, like blood falling onto a piece of parchment.

"Sirius?" James asked softly, around the drips of rum and Sirius' muttered curses as he tried to uncork the rum.

"Eh?" Sirius asked as the cork finally came off, flying halfway across the room.

"Do you ever wonder if maybe….maybe you …shouldn't have taken something, should've left it well alone." James asked, watching his black hair, hazel eyes, and pale face swim back into view in his mug, contrasting the red-amber color of the rum.

Sirius looked at him. "James that key….you didn't know it would bring all this trouble when you first picked it up, we hardly knew what it was when we first came across it. You shouldn't blame yourself for that."

James nodded. "I know…" As his voice faded off James ran a hand through his messy hair, then looked up at Sirius, eyes devoid of any laughter or glint. "But I wasn't talking about the key."

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Good? Bad? Please tell me what you think. I'll try to start working on the next chapter but my National History Day Project is going to be taking up a lot of my time for the next couple weeks. Thanks for reading and pleas please _please_ review :):) 


	16. Realization

Hey, so you have no idea how long it took me to sit down and write out this chapter...hopefully it won't be confusing in any aspects, but if it is please let me know so I can go back, edit, unconfuse, and fix :) :) Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing, it's so exciting gettting your guys' reiviews all the time (no joke). I try to reply to everyone I can, but if I missed you I apologize, I'll try to do better next time.

So here's Chapter 16, I hope you enjoy it.

**Disclaimer: By now you should realize I don't own Harry Potter or the characters connected to that storyline-however I own this storyline and any originial characters that appear

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Chapter 16-Realization

The sky was a bright blue, void of any clouds, only the sun beat down its warmth on the ship and its inhabitants. Lily stood on the deck, pausing to enjoy the rays of sunlight warming her skin. She glanced behind the ship, letting an uneasy smile grace her lips as she saw no black ship on the horizon. It had disappeared a few days after James had told Lily in on who it was, after she'd ki-well did something she hadn't been expecting…

Still, she thought studying the horizon, the lack of ship didn't take away the uneasy feeling that crept up Lily's arms, or the nervous look James would get as he would glance back at the sea when he thought no one was watching.

Lily sighed and lifted her chin she grinned at the sky. Part of her wanted to stay out in the sun, just feeling it and realizing how alive she was, but the other, stronger, side reminded her that she's told James she would come and train with him.

Not that it was a bad choice, Lily allowed. Using the sword, feeling it and its movements becoming part of her, along with James' assistance, made her feel as alive as the sun. But it was a more blazing alive than the contentment of standing on the deck enjoying the sun.

"Oy, Lily!" Lily turned her head to see Sirius up on the landing waving at her. She smiled back at the charismatic man, who promptly whipped out his knife, and sliced one of the rigging ropes attached to the side of the ship. With his other hand he snatched the now frayed rope before it escaped him, and with charming laugh, swung on the rope around the side of the ship, to land on the outer rail, halfway down, still clutching the rope, teetering where he stood.

He took a cocky bow as Lily's eyes bulged. She came over to him, gawking. "How did you-"

"Neat trick, eh Lily?" Sirius grinned down at her, leaning on the rope, swaying with it in the light breeze. "I use it sometimes going from ship to ship."

Lily grudgingly admitted she was impressed by the stunt. It looked dangerous….but also the smallest bit fun. The rash thought evaporated from her mind with a quick shake of her head, the pirates were rubbing off on her. "That's awfully dangerous, Sirius." She said slowly, though she was smiling still.

Sirius chortled at her. "Oh come on, Lily-flower. What's the point of living without a little danger and fun?"

"Is that why you became a pirate?" She asked him.

Sirius opened his mouth to reply but another voice interjected before he could. "He became a pirate so that he could have all the gold and rum he wanted."

Lily turned and saw James lounging nearby, smiling at them. He walked over and grinned up at Sirius, who was half pouting that he hadn't been able to give his own answer.

"You forgot all the wenches I could ever want doting on me." Sirius added a bit smugly.

James chuckled, though he tried to hide it when Lily glanced at him. He looked down at her, with a grin. "Were you heading to my cabin when this rascal decided to show off?" He asked, cocking his head.

"Show off? I beg your pardon!" Sirius barked at him, pretending to be offended. "I was just showing Lily a bit of excitement…honestly how exciting do you thing some sword tricks are…especially from an sulking old windbag like you?"

James snatched his knife out of his belt and cut one of the ropes near Sirius foot. It sprang and caught Sirius' boot, yanking him off his feet to hang upside down over the rail. Sirius yelped and squawked, flailing his arms about. James laughed loudly and Lily fought to hold back her own laugh.

"Get-me-down-now-James!!!" Sirius yelled.

James held his side which was beginning to hurt from laughing. The rest of the crew that was on deck had turned and were all chuckling to themselves. "I dunno, Sirius. At least this way I can keep track of you, and make sure you don't get into any trouble."

Sirius bit out some words that made Lily blink quickly. James wrinkled his nose at his friend. "Come on now, Sirius. Hold your tongue."

"You foul heathen. Let me down!" Sirius yelped, as the rope swung towards the sea. "Come on James."

Remus had come over to where they were and was enjoying himself immensely. Shaking his head he grinned at his friend. "What sort of mess did you get into now?" He asked lightly.

Sirius snarled at him. "Let me down!"

James snorted. "If you want down so much, cut your own self down. You've got another knife."

Sirius opened his mouth, which closed instantly with a snap and he stretched upwards, barely being about to yank out a knife from his boot. But he still couldn't reach the rope.

"James! Remus! Lily!" Sirius whined. "Come on you filthy pirates let me down!"

Lily paused, unsure if Sirius had just called her a pirate or not. Certainly he hadn't, after all she wasn't. She was Lily Evans, daughter of Duke Evans…niece of…. Well yes, she was a Cook's Assistant on a pirate ship, who could use a sword….and a knife…. But she certainly wasn't any pirate. These past months on _the Marauder_ couldn't have possibly changed her that much.

Remus had finally found the pity for Sirius, and snatched the knife, cutting Sirius down. The first mate fell hard onto the deck of the ship, at the feet of James

"That was not funny!" Sirius rubbed the back of his head and looked up at James, who smiled.

"A matter of opinion." James told him brightly, looking down at him and running his hand through his messy hair.

Sirius snorted. "Everything's a matter of opinion to you, isn't it."

James chuckled as he shrugged a shoulder. He dropped to a knee and whispered to Sirius, so Lily only barely caught his words. "Don't sulk in your wounded pride too long, mate. I'll need you up to your bright cheery spirits soon."

Sirius snorted and looked at his friend. "You're one to talk about sulking."

James sent his friend a look as he rose to his feet. He turned and looked at Lily for a moment before walking back to his cabin.

Lily debated staying with Sirius, who was scolding a still laughing Remus for not helping him, or to follow James. The dagger on her belt made up her mind for her. She stepped quickly after James, following him into his cabin and closing the door behind her, locking out the noise from the deck.

James held two swords in his hands, facing Lily when she stepped into the room. She raised an eye at him. It amazed her how eager he always was to get started training, and how much he enjoyed the process.

"Come on, Lily." James tossed her his extra sword. Lily caught it with her right hand, a task that was steadily becoming easier the more she practiced. Lily turned the sword over in her hand, seeing the sunlight running up the blade. No longer was it too heavy for her arm, it had become part of it. Not in the same way James' was part of him, like an extension of himself, but it was closer.

She looked up and saw James readying his sword in an attack position. "Ready?" He asked her, his smile small across his lips.

Lily bit her lip and James straightened, he could tell by the look in her eyes something was up and he was immediately wary.

Lily met his eyes. "I don't want to learn to be on the defense anymore." She told him, and James felt his stomach tighten as he predicted her next words. "I want to learn to attack."

"We've had this conversation before." James reminded her, leaning against his desk. "I'm teaching you to defend yourself. If you can defend well then your enemy will never win." He pointed out.

Lily grumbled under her breath. "If I can only defend, then the fight will never end…what if I get tired? I need to know how to attack, how to stop them, just as much as I need to know how to defend myself."

James eyed her. The point was there…it was rather meaningless to teach her defense with no attack. But something held him back. Suppose she did learn how to fight back, how to thrust and slash…how to kill? James shook himself, feeling guilty at the thought of making Lily a killer. That's what he'd be doing, wouldn't it? When did it stop being training to keep her alive to training to make her a…pirate?

James shook his head. "Lily, I don't think-"

"I do." She cut him short and James looked at her startled. "I can defend myself perfectly all right…but I want to be the one forcing the opponent back, making him defend-"

"Making him bleed?" James asked slowly. "Killing him?"

Lily swallowed. "You said I needed to learn how to stay alive on this ship…how to protect myself. Part of that protection is defense, and part of it is attack."

James let out a deep breath, studying her. He straitened up from his desk, gripping the sword in his hand. She stood in front of him, her face set in what she wanted. Okay, he decided, let her have it, and just deal with the consequences later…hopefully much later. James inclined his head, part of him squirming with unease.

Lily smiled, but James frowned. "No grinning." He ordered and Lily forced herself to frown at him, which only managed to make a sour expression. James raised an eyebrow. "You're going to learn how to attack." James said with a stony tone.

"Now you've seen the way I've been doing it." He told her, coming up to her. Lily nodded. One of the first things James had taught her was how to study the opponent and his movements, to begin anticipating how he would attack next.

"You're going to do it the same way." James said, sticking his sword in his belt and coming behind her. "Same arm position, same sword angle. The only thing that makes each sword movement different, is how you use yourself with it." He reached around her and took her forearms in his hands. He positioned the sword in her grip, then positioned her arms. "Three basic moves, just like defense." He told her. Lily nodded, feeling her head against his chest. "Swipe left." He moved her arm in a half circle from her right hip to the center of her body. "Swipe right." Her arm moved in the opposite motion.

"Left." Lily formed the word with her lips. "Right."

"Now, you can come from below." He moved her blade in sweeping motion from the floor up at an angle. "Or above." He demonstrated that movement as well.

Lily nodded. "You can also come straight down." He moved her hands above her head, and brought it down quickly until the tip of the blade almost hit the floor. "Got it?"

"Left, right. Up, down. And above." Lily nodded. "Easy."

James chuckled in her ear. "We'll see." He told her, letting go of her arms and moving away from her. Lily turned and faced him as he pulled out his sword, holding it out to his side.

"It moves fast. You have to. Can't stop for a breath, or it might be your last. It has to be relentless attacking, never letting him get a move in." Lily readied herself, nodding. James smirked and Lily swiped left with a quick movement. James caught her sword with a grunt and flung it back to her. In the same motion Lily brought the sword down to the right. James caught it yet again and grinned at her.

"Good speed. Work on the angle though."

Lily frowned at him and moved her sword again, this time faster. James parried each time, shoving her backwards. Lily stumbled and set herself again, breathing hard.

"You're doing well for your first time." James said, casually walking toward her. Strutting more like it, Lily thought grudgingly. "But you're not putting enough behind it." Lily lunged at him and James caught her sword with his own. He twisted and grabbed her wrist, holding her there.

"That spirit you have built up inside. Use it for something other than snapping at me. Put it into your arm, into your sword and use it!" He pushed her away and Lily grunted as she met his sword again.

"That anger…any resentment, any powerful feeling at all use it to make your blow stronger." Left then right, met both times. Lily panted hard, lunging again. James moved aside and nudged her so she stumbled. She turned and he smirked, catching her blow.

"Use anything you've got to give you an advantage." James told her smoothly.

Lily fought to remember what James' had done in past lessons. Step left, then lunge right. Put more strength behind it, Lily, she scolded herself as James pushed her away again. Faster, more strength. Left then right and up…

James caught her blade with his for what seemed like the hundredth time. They were shoulder to shoulder. "Use your body to aid your sword." He told her. "Your whole self has to be the weapon. Arms, legs, shoulder-" She twisted and the swords locked above their heads and they bumped into one another. James looked down and raised his eyebrows, giving Lily amused smile as he met her gaze. "Chest." Lily glowered at him and shoved him back with all her might.

James stumbled backwards and grinned. "That's it. Come on Lily, attack me." And she did. Left, right, down, up. Then again. Each time he blocked, but each time she got faster and stronger. Both panted and Lily's feet stumbled as she felt her sword lock with his.

"Don't ever forget." He told her as they stood blade to blade, sweat rolled down his cheek. "You can be on the attack one moment." He shoved her aside and swiped at her leg, which she barely managed to block. "And on defense the next." Lily glared as he began pounding her mercilessly.

Block left, right, up, down. I don't want to block! Lily thought, frustrated. She swung to the side and made for James' arm. He turned at the last moment and clanged her sword. "Not bad, Miss Evans."

Lily smirked at him. "Not bad? I think that was rather good."

James shrugged a shoulder and hooked his foot around Lily's ankle. "Good in some eyes, is not always good in others." He twisted his foot and Lily tripped, almost stumbling into the desk. She balked at him.

"Cheat. I thought this was a fair fight."

"No this is training." James told her circling to her left. "And in training anything goes. It's all a matter of how you look at it." He caught her sword and Lily swung it away, cutting her sword toward his arm, which he blocked.

Moments turned to minutes, and the minutes stretched on. Lily fell back from James, panting loudly. He was doing the same, leaning down slightly, his shirt sticking to his skin from sweat.

"Tired, Captain Potter?" She teased.

He laughed at her. "Of this? Never." He leapt at her and Lily managed to barely catch his blade.

"I must say I am impressed. I haven't flung your sword once." He told her. Lily felt the sword reverberate up her arm. "Of course." He grinned at her. "Doesn't mean it won't happen soon."

Lily laughed at him. "Don't get cocky."

"Confidence and cockiness are two entirely different concepts." James informed her, evading her blow before trying to land one of her own. "I happen to have both in a numerous quantity."

"I wouldn't doubt it." Lily told him smugly.

James stopped and straitened, staring at her. "And just what does that mean, Miss Evans?" He asked sternly, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

Lily chuckled and James cocked his head, smiling wider. He lunged left, then right, swiftly and shoving her with his arm and shoulder. Lily bit her lip. Use my body he says. Fine then. James locked her sword with his and Lily kicked him hard in the shin.

With a strangled yelp James pulled back, tripping on his feet but managing to keep his balance. "Ouch. What in the name of the seas was that for?" He cried out, limping slightly.

Lily smirked at him, stepping forward with her sword out. "You said use my body. I did."

James glared at her, an almost evil grin crossing his face. "So I did." The swords locked and James twisted around. He caught her arm with his free hand and Lily's elbow found his stomach. James grunted and wrenched her around to face him. Lily grinned smugly at him, while she swiped down from the left. James smirked and stepped out of the way at the last moment. The momentum made Lily stumble and James grabbed her shoulder and gave it a push, which made her feet twist and sent her onto the ground. Lily looked up from where she lay on her back. James was looking down and laughing out loud. Lily gritted her teeth and kicked him hard in the legs, sending the pirate captain sprawling down beside her.

James groaned and looked at her from where he'd landed on his chest. Lily looked back at him, and they both burst into fits of laughter, rolling on the floor, their swords lay forgotten.

Gasping to catch his breath, James rolled on his shoulder to look at Lily, who was having difficulty controlling her laughter enough to bring herself to a sitting position. "That really was uncalled for. I'll have bruises all over me."

Lily cocked an eye at him and James started laughing again. "Still." He gasped. "I never thought of that sort of….move. I might have to use it one day." He propped his head up on his arm and grinned at her.

Lily had finally sat up and was hugging her knees. She grinned back at him. "As long as you give me due credit." She told him.

"But of course." James came up, closer to her, grinning. "As Tom Riddle falls down from my ferocious elbow and kick I'll proclaim if for everyone to hear." He leapt up to his feet and held out his arms. "Lily Evans, daughter of a duke, nobility and nothing less, taught me this and it will be your undoing."

Lily laughed at him. "By that time he will have run you through, James Potter."

James crouched down and wrinkled his nose at her. "True. I might have to shorten it up, just a bit." He flicked her nose and Lily grinned at him.

James smiled back and held out his hands, which she took. He pulled her up to her feet, giving her back her balance. There was a knock at the door and James turned to it. It never failed, he thought to himself. There's always something going on just in the middle of-

Before he could finish his thought, or even call out to the person behind the door, the wooden door swung open and an eager Peter stumbled through, followed by Sirius.

"Captain." Peter panted, his eyes were wide with excitement and smile was plastered across his hardly skinny face, revealing stained teeth. James winced.

"Um…yes what-"

"There's a ship on the horizon and we haven't pillaged in ages. May we? Please please please!!!" Peter begged loudly in fast pace. James eyes widened at him, partly in surprise, the other part in embarrassment.

Sirius rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, giving James a look. "Please say yes before Peter wets himself."

Peter whirled on Sirius. "I would never-"

"Looked like you were pretty close." Sirius sneered back. "Oh Captain, may we? May we?" He forced his voice higher as he clapped his hands in Peter's face. Peter growled under his breath.

"Black you foul bloody worm!"

"Did the lookout get his pants in a twist.?" Sirius spat. Peter rose up to his full height and jabbed at Sirius chest. "That the best you can do, Pettigrew?!"

"Sirius Black you-"

James had had enough. "Shut it!" He yelled. Lily shook from the force of the voice and gripped the edge of the desk. Both Sirius and Peter turned and looked at him. "The two of you knock it off!" James barked at them. The two men looked at each other with a drip of loathing before turning back to their captain.

"Now." James rubbed his forehead. "Come again with…well whatever it was you said…"

"There's a ship-" Peter began.

"The men are eager for a steal." Sirius went on.

"It's been ages…" Peter added.

"But of course you're the Captain." Sirius said, nodding toward James.

"It's your final decision." Peter finished.

"So….please may we?" Sirius mock whimpered, earning a dirty look from Peter and a rolling of the eyes from James.

The Captain sighed, biting his lip. It had been awhile…and if the crew wasn't happy…well he could start picking out which deserted island he liked best. There was noise behind him and James turned, with a startled look at Lily. Her face was steadily loosing color and she looked like she was holding back her tongue. She's going to have something not so pleasant to say. James realized with dread. He looked back at Sirius and Peter who were watching him eagerly. With a deep breath James slowly nodded.

Peter let out a cheer, but stopped abruptly when James sent him a scorning look, then scuttled off out of the cabin. Sirius mockingly saluted and went to the door, but paused and looked back at James. "I'll get the cannons ready, and the rest of our…toys." He smirked and left.

As the door shut, it echoed in the silence slowly filling the room. James turned slowly and looked at Lily. She was staring down at the floor, angled away from him. He felt his breath becoming harder to hold in. He stepped up to her. "Lily…maybe you should-"

"All this time." She muttered slowly, but plainly enough for him to hear. "I'd been fooled into thinking you were a good man…changed…a person that I could trust…that was….good…." James stopped cold, his jaw slack. Lily looked up at him. Fire burning in her green eyes. "But you're still just a smelly old pirate, aren't you."

Lily shoved roughly past him. James didn't turn to see the door wrenched open, then slammed shut. He twitched at the sound and looked down at his desk, feeling whipped. He ran his hand along the edge of his desk and closed his eyes, letting out a rough breath.

Just a smelly old pirate.

---------------------

Lily let her cabin door close and leaned against it, sliding down to the floor. All this time she had thought he was different, changed. He'd saved her from the storm, that had to mean something about his character. He'd given her the knife…trusted her….taught her to use the sword…

But it hadn't mattered, because at the end of it all he was still a pirate. He still stole and murdered. He was still the scourge of the sea….was still destined for a hangman's noose. Lily hugged her knees and shook her head. How could she have ever been fooled?

Easy, part of her said, you thought he wasn't a pirate anymore. You forgot he always was.

But he changed, she argued.

What makes you think people can't show you another side of them, without retaining their other self? What makes you think he's not both a pirate and good man?  
Lily shook her head. A good pirate…a good man? No, Lily shook her head again. A pirate is a pirate…and James Potter was a pirate, nothing less…and certainly nothing more.

----------------------

James walked along the deck, feeling more than jumpy. The men milled around him, smiling and joking. At least their happy, he thought bitterly. Remus came up to him, searching his friend's face. "James…you all right?"

James sent his friend a look. "Why ask if you already know the answer?" He said, irritated.

Remus shrugged and walked off. James sighed and bit his lip. The pillage was over. The men were content. Even Sirius and Peter were being civil to each other…sort of….in a weird sort of mulish way. James ran a distracted hand through his hair, glancing around the deck. No flash of red, even a spark of green eyes for that matter. With a look around James made up his mind and turned, making for the lower deck.

He went quickly down the staircase and through the deserted hallway. Silence stretched out to him and he paused in front of her door. James took a breath and knocked two times on the hard wood. Nothing.

Well she hadn't jumped ship, and she wasn't above deck. Maybe she was in the kitchens. James cast a look down the hallway, then heard movement behind the door. He turned back and banged again. Still nothing.

James gritted his teeth. Well he'd be damned if some girl was going to lock him out of one of the cabins on _his _ship. With a twist of the handle and shove of his shoulder, the door swung open, banging softly against the other wall.

He saw Lily sitting on the edge of her bed, staring down at her hands, refusing to look up at him. James took in a breath and slowly let it out, taking a cautious step into the room. The floor creaked and Lily's shoulders moved, but she still kept her eyes glued to the deck floor.

James nervously crossed his arms. "No one was hurt." He said slowly. "Just a…a merchant ship…no fighters on board. Gave up without a fight….no one hurt…nothing really to steal…some rum that was on board." She still wasn't looking at him. "No one even got a scratch…" He said slowly. The silence stretched out across the room and pain tightened around James' throat. He slowly stepped up to the figure on the edge of the bed, looking down at her. "Lily." No movement, not even a sound.

James' face was pained, his eyes sad as he knelt down next to her. "Lily…look at me." He couldn't even see her face, the red hair had fallen across it. He reached out and touched her clasped hands, but she moved them away from him in an instant. James hand sat on her knee, his whole body felt numb. "Lily…what do you want me to say?" He asked slowly. Still nothing.

James shook his head in frustration. "Well what did you think happened, Lily?" He asked her hotly. "All this time that I'd changed? That I'd stopped being a pirate or something? These past months I've still been James Potter, the pirate." James shrugged a shoulder. "Okay I haven't killed anyone…or stolen anything….but that didn't change the fact." He looked at her, biting his lip, feeling helpless.

Lily moved and James dropped his hand. She stood up and walked over to the corner and stood there for a moment, her back to him. "Do you know what a pirate is?" She asked him in a soft voice. "A pirate is the scourge of the seas, the nightmare of our time. Like evil dark knights in medieval times. They're the ones who steal a person's livelihoods by stealing their gold, or food, or ships, or animals. They're the ones that destroy families by killing a mother, father, brother or sister." She turned and looked at him with blazing eyes. "Pirates are monsters, barbarians, murderers, thieves, _liars_." She bit at him. James flinched and stood up.

"That the idea of pirates that you got from your precious father and storybooks at home?" He asked her, his voice cold. "Lily you've been living with pirates for the past five months! How can you still believe in silly fish tales like those?"

"Well you've yet to prove me wrong." She told him. "You were a good person, I thought you were. How can you be a good person one moment, and then a scheming pirate the next?" She shook her head. "You saved my life…you were different."

James growled in his throat. "No I wasn't…I never stopped being a pirate. I always was. Anything I did or said…I was still me…still a pirate, just maybe not one you were expecting."

"Your were nice…you trusted…I trusted you!" James shook his head at Lily's words. "I trusted a…pirate." The word was poison on her lips as she said it now. James shut his eyes for a moment, bowing his head, his breath coming fast in his chest. Lily turned away, laying her hand on the cold wood wall, her forehead also pressed against it.

James opened his eyes and looked up. Something began to slowly rip inside of him. "Lily…" His voice cracked and he swallowed, setting his face. "I…was an orphan." Her shoulders bunched and James went on. "My entire life, it was all I knew. My parents left me there when I was baby…my whole young life was just smelly gray blankets…a creaky cot now and then…that horrid gruel they used to spoon out to us three time a day." James shivered to himself.

James half turned, staring at Lily's bed. "Remus was always there…his parents were gone….he never knew them either. Sirius knew his mom…she left him there when he was five. Scrawny kid…looking for a fight to pick."

Lily swallowed, listening to James' warm voice.

"I remember nothing else from the day I could first begin remembering things. Just an orphanage and Sirius and Remus…" James faded off.

Lily turned and looked at him. "I don't understand…is that an…excuse?"

James shook his head, closing his eyes. "It's the whole point, Lily."

"I don't see-"

He turned and looked at her full in the face. "Orphans have no one…except maybe another orphan here or there, but then a time comes when each orphan begins looking out for themselves…then you've got no one." James ran his hand through is his hair. "I had no father to teach me a trade, Lily…to teach me to be a blacksmith or a baker…or anything else that would've made me money." James shook his head violently. "I never had a mother to tell me what was right and what was wrong…or care that I actually listened." He waved a hand. "I mean of course the head of the orphanage told us…but she didn't really care if we got caught stealing…it was one less mouth to feed…and besides they throw you out on the street when you turn 16…still alone."

His eyes locked with hers. "Few kids survive on their own on the street with no one to watch out for them…by the time they're 16 they gotta make a choice or die then and there. And for an orphan there's two choices. Be a killer or a thief….a mercenary or a pirate….you pick your poison, and either way it doesn't matter because you end up alone and dead at the end of the path whichever you chose."

James shrugged opened his hands, palms out. "I chose pirate…or it chose me I can't figure which." He looked at her with a weary face. "I can't change it…not even if I wanted to. It's not bad Lily…I'm no Riddle and I won't ever be. I steal so I can eat, so I can live. It's a crime, but there's no other way to do it." He shook his head. "There never was."

Lily moved from the wall and came toward him, stopping a few feet away. She looked at him, her eyes searching his, that were willing behind the hazel color. His face was slack, almost as if he was standing defeated in front of her. His hands shook and his shoulders tightened as he looked back at her. He looked the same on the outside as he had that day he'd first come on her fathers ship…same hair, face, eyes…still just as tall and built.

But he wasn't the same, Lily concluded, in that respect James was wrong. That old James wouldn't have come down here looking…sincere. He'd come down twice before, to yell or tease, but nothing like this.

He didn't change into a duke or a count, or a well educated member of English society, part of her scolded, but why would he want to? He fits here…he was born to be a pirate.

But a pirate…her other argument faded. She had been on a pirate ship for five months…she'd been around Cook, Remus, Sirius, James…all pirates…none of them had ever hurt her, they were even…nice. Why was she still believing in old fish tales from home?

Maybe he didn't have to change being a pirate, the other side of her went on, maybe he was this nice before, you just didn't see the good behind the bad of being labeled a 'pirate'.

Lily swallowed hard, watching James. He shook his head at her, looking sorry.

"I never put on a facade…or tried not to be a pirate…I can't do that, wouldn't even bother trying…because when it was all over, I'd still be a pirate." He told her slowly, holding her eyes.

Lily closed her eyes and shook her head to herself. She bit her lip. "I don't understand…" She spoke toward the floor.

James took a breath. "You're the daughter of a duke…nobility." He told her slowly. "You're not supposed to understand." She looked up at him, startled. He started to turn but Lily reached out and grabbed his elbow. James looked down at her.

"But, I do want to." She told him truthfully, her eyes were sincere and not holding any lies.

James stared down at her, unable to look anywhere else. "Why?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

Lily blinked at him, her mind raced ahead of her as she took in his curious face. The information and realizations he's laid out to her buzzed and bumped, fumbling over each other in her mind. She felt an shock go through her body and straitened suddenly, opening her dry mouth, but nothing came out. Lily swallowed, staring at the pirate, and feeling her heart clench as she came to a realization of her own.

She was falling in love with Captain James Potter.

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Well what do you think? Did you like it? Hope so. Please let me know by clicking the lovely blue-colored review button at the bottom of your screen :) :) 


	17. The Love of a Pirate

Hey so I got an update out much faster than last time, you should all be proud. Of course it would've been out faster if I'd been able to upload it sooner...ah go figure right? Anywho thanks to _everyone_ who reviewed, you're reviews are so awesome to read and it really makes me feel like I'm writing this story for something other than my personal fun (which of course is a reason too ;)).

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its related names. I do own Captain Ribbs, Cook, any odd pirate (or character) who happens to have a name not connected to Harry Potter, and more importantly the storyline. :) **

And off we go, hope you guys enjoy!!!!

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Chapter 17-The Love of A Pirate

A cold wind cut across the deserted deck, and James shook violently as the wind ran up his arms and around his neck, feeling like a rope closing around his throat. He stumbled a step and looked around. It was quiet…too quiet and dark. Black clouds hung down from the sky, so low James thought he could touch them if he reached out. He turned and saw the choppy waves slamming into the boat, rocking him back on his heels. Even the sea was dark, hidden in shadows as it surrounded the ship. James let out a hollow breath, trying to get control of himself.

A sound like that of clashing steel reached his ears and he turned, staring at the landing. Two men fought back and forth along the landing's wood. Their swords were invisible in the black night, but James could hear them just the same. Thunder rumbled from the dark clouds and a flash of lightning followed. James recognized Riddle as one of the fighters, the other…James looked and felt a gasp escape his throat as Lily's red hair came into view for a brief moment before the glow from the lightning faded.

"No…" James breathed. He hadn't taught Lily so she could fight Riddle. Lily might've been good, but she was far from that good. James started forward at a run, but stopped short. In front of him stood four darkly dressed men. The lightening flashed again and James saw their pale faces for only a split second.

He glared at them for a moment, still hearing the swords from Lily and Riddle. "Get out of my way." He ordered the men. They moved, but only to pull their own swords from their belts and take a step toward him.

James felt his belt, and was only mildly surprised to find no sword of any sort. "Get out of my way." He told them again.

What are you going to do, the sane and often quiet side of him asked. They have swords and you, if you haven't noticed, do not.

One of the men lunged and James jumped out of the way, sending his elbow into the man's face. The man crumpled to the ground and James picked up the fallen sword.

When you don't have what you need, James thought, improvise.

Two of the other men lunged at him. James tripped one of them and caught the other man's sword, grunting with the impact. He shoved his locked sword and sent his opponent sprawling into the fourth man. The tripped man came back up toward James' back, James spun out of the way and parried the blade. As the swords locked James took his other hand and punched the man in the side of the mouth. The man fell like a sack of potatoes to the floor and James stood there, arms at his sides gasping, and trying to get his pounding blood back to normal.

A loud yell echoed across the deck and James whirled, just in time to see a figure fall, the other standing there over the body, bloody sword in hand. The lightening flashed and thunder roared in his ears as James' sword slipped from his grasp. "No…" He murmured and ran off across the deck. He took the stairs two at a time and fell to his knees beside Lily. He shook his head. "No…this can't…." He put his hand above her mouth and felt no breath tickle his palm. Swallowing hard, his face began to fall. He touched her forehead, pushing back her red locks, petting them and shaking his head.

"It's all your fault." The icy voice reached his ears, but James couldn't look up. He rocked on his knees and felt his shoulders shaking. He stroked her cheek, trying to get his breaths under control.

"You taught her how to fight…you gave her the weapon of her own death." James shook his head, staring down at Lily, her eyes shut, her face pale. In the dim light her lips looked purple, unmoving and cold when his finger brushed against them.

"No…it's not my fault…" He spoke softly, his voice wavering. He held her face between shaking hands, and couldn't seem to tear his eyes away.

"Who taught her how the fight? Who told her of me? Who tied her to a contract on a pirate ship?"

James bit his lip, his cheek felt wet but he couldn't reach up to see why. He ran his hand down to her abdomen, blood had pooled there and James pressed down, thinking somehow, if he stopped the blood, then maybe she wouldn't….maybe…

He leaned down pressing his forehead against hers, his eyes closed. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't…it wasn't real…it was only….

But her face was warm, a warmth slowly fading to cold. The blood was wet against his hand, and there was no heartbeat…he couldn't feel hers, only his pounding like a drum in his ear. "It wasn't…my fault…." He gasped out.

Riddle stood over him, smirking. "Can you feel the guilt eating away at you yet?" James clenched a fist-full of Lily's clothes, shaking his head against her skin.

"Is it tearing you apart?"

James slid his hand off her stomach. He could feel the blood drying on his callused hand. His hand moved on the deck and closed around the hilt of her fallen sword.

"Oh yes, James Potter. It is no ones fault but your own." Riddle asked, standing easily there, goading James with a smirk across his thin lips. "Her death…her blood…is on your hands."

"No!" James lunged up at him, sword out. Riddle caught the sword with his own, barely. James glared fire at the other pirate. "It is not my fault!" He yelled.

Riddle smirked. "Then why are you fighting so hard to deny it?"

With a growl James shoved Riddle against the rails. Riddle moved and stabbed toward James, who evaded the blow. The blade still caught his arm and James stumbled looking down and seeing red running down the length of his arm.

James swallowed and looked up. Riddle came for him. James parried his blade to the left and swung out of the way as Riddle came again. Riddle lunged and James caught his sword. Riddle growled shoving him backwards. James felt his back forcefully hit the rail and winced. Riddle swung his arm and hit James square in the face. James stumbled and Riddle grabbed him by the shirt, flinging him into another rail. The sword slipped from James' blood stained fingers and he turned, gasping for breath.

Riddle grabbed his shoulder, digging in with his nails and James yelled out. The yell caught in his throat suddenly, as James felt he blood rush from his face, he looked down. Riddle's sword could barely be seen sticking through his stomach. It felt like iron fire, burning into his skin, ripping it apart from the inside out. Never before had he felt the pain that now ran through his body. James made a strangled noise and looked up, his eyes rolled and his mouth slackened.

Riddle grabbed him by the hair and jerked his sword, which sent a cry out from James' lips. "All of it." Riddle whispered, a cool breath that burned James' skin. "Is your fault." He tore the sword from James' body and stepped back.

James' legs buckled and he fell to the deck, his face turned up to the sky. With a painful moan he turned his head, staring at the body across from his. He reached out his hand and touched Lily's arm with shaking fingers. Pain began ebbing away, turning to nothing, creeping up his legs, arms, body. Until his vision faded and his breath caught…..

With a strangled cry James opened his eyes, his chest was heaving and the sheets of his bed were sticking to his sweat-covered chest. He could feel his body shaking, and the fire-like pain was resting on his stomach. His heart pounded in his ears and James' could only stare up at the ceiling, couldn't bring himself to move.

Then in a rush the dream came back to him, and he saw the dead body on the landing, felt the warm blood on his hand. His stomach twisted and James lunged out of the bed. Stumbling across the room, he hit the wall behind his desk and wrenched open the window before leaning outside and vomiting.

His body felt weak as he held onto the side of the window, half afraid he would fall out as his body jerked and his shoulders bunched as he threw up. When he finally stopped, his body continued to shake with the energy it took to keep standing. Turning from the window, he leaned his back against he wall, his head upturned, eyes closed. Each breath was painful as he stood there dressed in only pants. His upper half was cold, but James couldn't even make himself move to get a blanket or a shirt.

I killed her…she's dead because of me.

It was just a dream.

No dream could feel that real.

I killed her.

A sound came from beyond the blackness of his eyelids. James didn't open his eyes. Maybe its Riddle…come to finish me off….

Riddle is not on the ship…it was just a dream…if it was real how did you end up down here in your cabin? You were on the landing before, remember.

Yes…that's true…I was on the landing…

But it was so real…and Lily she's-

"James?" Sirius' voice broke through his thoughts. James dared to open his eyes. Sirius was looking at him with a concerned look. "James…are you all right?"

James gave a small nod and tried to push himself off the wall, but only succeeded in stumbling and almost falling. Sirius rushed over and caught him by his upper arm, steadying him. "Apparently not." Sirius muttered. "Here come on, let's sit you down." He kicked out the James' chair from under the desk and sat the captain down in it. He then turned and rummaged around in James' cabinet before pulling out a bottle of rum. With a quick pull he sent the cork flying and set the liquid down in front of James. "Drink it." He ordered.

James took one look at the rum and turned his head away. "I think I'd rather not."

"I'll force it down your throat."

James raised an eye at his first mate who looked ready to make good on his threat. "Fine." James relented. He took the bottle in his hand and took a quick drink, making a face as he did so.

"Now." Sirius sat down on the edge of the desk. "What happened and why do you have retch on your mouth?"

James wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, pausing when his cheek felt wet. Strange, what happened there? He pulled his fingers away from his face, but only saw a clear liquid resting on them. Not blood. Sweat? He wondered.

"You've got tears running down your face." Sirius aided him. James looked up, startled. "They're drying, but they're still there. Never seen you cry before…what happened?" He repeated his earlier question.

James swallowed and looked off into nothing as he tried to piece together the dream. "A nightmare…I was on the ship, Riddle was there too. Four of his men tried to kill me, but I managed to prevent that."

"Great…now Riddle sends others to do his dirty work…how pleasant." Sirius muttered.

James ignored him. "I saw Riddle, then…he killed…he killed a girl." James said slowly. _A girl with red hair. Lily._ "I went after him and we fought. He kept telling me that it was my fault she was dead…all my fault…." James stopped, staring at the rum.

Sirius watched him slowly, unsure of what was going through his friend's head. "James?"

"I tried to kill him." James went on, softly. "But I couldn't. He killed me, ran me through with his sword." James unconsciously rubbed his abdomen. "It's never been that real before, Sirius. It was like fire….this pain flooding my body. It felt real….like it was really happening, like I was…."

"Dying?" Sirius almost choked on the word as he watched his friend's face.

James nodded. "I almost did…I could feel it Sirius…just fading off from life…I've never come that close…" James shook his head, trying to dislodge the icy feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. "It was just a dream…doesn't matter anymore."

Sirius frowned. "A nightmare that makes you wake up in a sweat with tears running down your face, retching out the window and unable to stand on your own two feet? That's not 'just' anything, James."

James sighed, leaning against the back of the chair, running a shaking hand through his messy hair. Sirius watched him, a serious expression on his usually carefree face. He had seen James after having nightmares before, and he'd never looked like this. This helpless, this lost, this…upset. Why would James' care if Riddle said it was his fault? Sirius wondered. Why would James' believe him in the first place…it was Riddle for pete's sake!

And then it clicked, in a sudden thought everything fell into place. "James." Sirius said slowly. "What did the girl look like?"

James' shoulders stiffened, and Sirius didn't fail to notice. "I couldn't tell…it was dark."

"Liar." James looked up sharply at Sirius' word. "What did she look like?"

"Like a girl, does it mater?" James asked roughly.

Sirius crossed his arms. "Red hair?"

James looked uncomfortable. "I dunno…maybe."

"Green eyes?"

"She was dead, how was I supposed to see her eyes?" James yelled at him angrily.

Sirius wasn't about to be put off. "But you saw her face." James looked away. "Was it Lily?"

James let out a breath, staring down at the desk. A silent moment passed. "Yes." He finally relented.

Sirius started to smile. "No wonder you're upset."

Looking at him sharply, James glared. "What does that mean?"

Sirius didn't waste any time on pretense. "You're falling in love with Lily Evans."

Voice caught in his throat, James stared at his friend, eyes wide and eyebrows high. His mouth was dry, gaping at Sirius. "I'm….what?!"

The first mate sighed. "You need to listen. I said you're falling in love with Lily."

James stared at him, slowly shaking his head. "Are you drunk?"

Sirius looked offended. "I beg your pardon!"

"Because you must be drunk…if you're thinking crazy notions like that." James stood up, swaying slightly, then gaining his balance.

"Crazy!? What the-James!" James walked past him and made for the bed. He sat down hard on it, looking back at Sirius.

"Yes crazy. You're the one who always goes on about me ignoring the opposite sex, not wenching and the like. And you're saying I'm in love?!"

Sirius growled under his breath. Sometimes James could be like a mule, an ass with a thick head. "Yes I am, because you are. Besides, like you pointed out many a time, Lily is not a wench, which means in the previous statement, she doesn't apply." James shook his head.

"I'm not falling in love with anyone." James mumbled, half to himself, avoiding Sirius' gaze.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "That's a load of crap. I can see the way you look at her. It's the same way she looks back at you, James." James looked up sharply, his eyes wide. "Oh yes, did I mention that part? The part where Lily is falling in love with you too?"

"Fishing for something that's not there, that's what you're doing, Sirius." James scolded, feeling a sudden blush creeping from his neck to his ears and cheeks.

"Fishing? Hardly. The way you two look at each other, and smile…you gave her your trust, you saved her from the storm, she came back to the ship when she could've left, you let me convince you to take her to a pub, and then you saved her from said pub and took her on a moonlit walk! Let's also not forget that she got as jealous as a she-cat when that wench started getting close to you." James moved but Sirius wasn't done. "Yes I do pay attention, even when there's a girl in my lap. And I'm not finished. You told her about the key, then told her about Riddle. You taught her how to fight, nearly got drunk with her."

"I did not!" James defended, coming to his feet and trying not to sway.

"You are starting feel guilty that you tied her to a pirate ship." There was a pained look in James' eyes and Sirius knew he was on target. "And you are dreaming about her, afraid she's going to get hurt or killed. You care about her. And damn it James she cares about you too!"

James rocked back on his heels, trying to wrap his mind around what Sirius was saying. It was absurd. He couldn't be…she couldn't…in love?

"Pirates don't fall in love." James said softly, averting his eyes as Sirius' face came alive.

"What?!"

"Pirates don't-"

"I heard what you said." Sirius cut him off, glaring and coming forward. "And I dare you to tell Remus that." James looked ashamed and glanced away. "Or Lily for that matter. What a load of crap! 'Pirates don't fall in love'. Geez!"

"Well have you ever?" James challenged, meeting his friend's eyes.

"No. And I'm not likely to." Sirius glared. "But I'm not you, and I don't have a Lily."

James blushed a deep red. "I don't have a…she's not mine!" He growled, frustrated. "I am not…pirates don't…"

"James an old beggar told you that when you were eight years old…a story that's all, some child's tale so he could get a scrap of food off of you. You're 24 years old, grow up and forget about the story."

James shook his head. "Pirates don't fall in love with people….and people don't fall in love with pirates, it's how they get hurt….Lily is people, I'm pirate-"

"Oh hear you roar." Sirius snorted. He watched James, partly angry and partly feeling sorry for his friend. James thought through everything too much. True it was a valuable asset when you wanted to stay alive and out of the grasp of soldiers of England or other pirates. But this wasn't that type of case. And believing in that old story? It drove Sirius up the wall in fury that his friend still believed a bedtime story, letting it run, or in this case ruin, his life. "James, why don't you just admit to it?"

"Cause it's not there…"

"You're dreaming about her, you're afraid she's going to get hurt, you're a complete mess after a nightmare about her! How the heck is it not there!?" Sirius demanded.

James sat down and put his head in his hands, resting his elbows on his knees. He grabbed a fist full of hair and stared down at the ground. This couldn't be happening. Lily falling in love with him? That would be like signing her death papers, James thought with a shiver, the dream still a burning image in his mind.

And him falling in love with Lily? It wasn't possible. She was Lily and he was…well him. I can't be falling in love, James thought to himself. I'm a pirate, pirate's have black hearts, if they have hearts at all. And they do _not_ fall in love!

Right?

Sirius stared down at his friend, his mouth slack. "James…"

Sirius waited another moment, but James didn't look up or move. Finally Sirius turned and stalked out. Furious he slammed the door, then fell back against it, crossing his arms across his chest. He made a face. What is wrong with him?! He cursed silently.

He's scared, part of him scolded. He doesn't want Lily to get hurt.

Sirius snorted. Doesn't want her to get hurt? How does he think she'll bloody feel when he informs her that 'pirates don't fall in love'?

Maybe he won't tell her.

Sirius shook his head at himself. Maybe he won't. And maybe one day we'll get a full pardon from the King of England himself. With a scoff Sirius walked off down the deck, sending murderous glares at any of the other pirates who made the mistake of being in his line of vision.

----------------------

Lily walked along the corridor, deep in thought and hardly noticing where she was going. Her mind had spun like an unchecked top for the past couple days after the crashing realization.

She was falling in love with Captain James Potter.

What a completely ludicrous idea! And yet…it was probably the most true realization she'd come to in her entire life, with no way out, no alternate reason for the feeling in her chest. That was the only answer, the only thing that made any sense.

As to where it had come from, how it had crept upon her so suddenly, Lily couldn't hazard a guess. Don't delve to deeply in the questioning of love, her cousin had once told her. It will only leave you more confused than before.

Of course the same cousin had told her that frogs were princes in disguise, and that 'fairy tale' had worked out so well.

Still, it was giving her more of a headache, trying to pick apart this new feeling pounding through her veins and shaking her heart with a jolt each time she tried to set the idea aside. Lily smiled softly for a moment, her eyes sparkling.

She was falling in love with Captain James Potter.

So deep in thought as she was, Lily didn't see a figure walking in front of her, until she ran right into him, her nose painfully taking the force of the blow. Stumbling back she looked up as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

Remus looked at her, cocking his head. "It is best to keep your eyes in front of you when walking, Lily." He teased her.

Lily smiled weakly at him. "Something I've been told quite often I'm afraid."

Remus blinked at her and smiled. Something was different about her. The way she was walking, as if absorbed in some thought, and that smile that was steadily creeping back on her face was not her traditional smile.

"Are you okay?" He asked instead.

Lily nodded, dropping her hand from her nose. "Perfect…"

"A better question." Remus asked her. "What are you doing up in the middle of the night?"

It seemed as though she was often up in the middle of the night, Lily concluded, though she had yet to come up with a good explanation any time she was asked that question. "I'm…" She smiled slightly. "Looking for James." He's always up in the middle of the night, Lily thought to herself, it was as good an excuse as any. Besides, she wouldn't mind following through on the statement.

Remus cocked an eye at her. "He's probably somewhere on deck…maybe in his cabin if you're lucky." Or trying to sleep, Remus added silently, it is the middle of the night after all.

Lily nodded her thanks and walked past him. She was halfway up the steps to the upper deck when he stopped her.

"Why are you looking for him?" Remus questioned.

Lily bit her lip and glanced down at him. "Just…wanted to talk."

Remus nodded. "Okay…night Lily."

"Good night." And she rushed back up the steps.

Remus smiled slightly, shaking his head. What an interesting girl.

Up on deck Lily cast her eyes around. The ship was drifting steadily in the calm waves, the stars were bright white lights in the black sky, giving more than enough light for Lily to find her way across the deck. She paused at James door, her hand wavering in front of the wood.

Maybe I should go back to bed, she thought to herself.

Why, it's not like you're going to get any sleep. He's talked to you before, now is no different.

Yes it is…

Oh quit being a chicken and knock on the door! The other side of her demanded.

Lily sighed and banged on the door to James' cabin. She waited for a moment but heard no sound from beyond the wood. Lily pounded on the door again, but still no one came out. Her ears didn't pick out any movement. Lily sighed and leaned against the door. I guess I'll just have to go back to bed, she decided.

"Looking for something?" A voice asked.

Lily turned. The voice sounded as if it was coming from the stairs to the landing. She walked away from the door, putting her hand on the lower banister and walking around it.

"Yes I was looking for-" She stopped at he bottom of the steps, staring up at the figure.

James lounged across the steps, his hair was messy, giving the impression that he had just gotten out of bed, and his shirt was carelessly thrown on, not even buttoned, and revealing a very tan and muscled body. Lily felt herself blushing as she looked up at James' calm face. "You actually." She said.

James smiled, leaning up to spread his arms wide. "I'm honored." He replied with a grin. "Just what can I do for you?"

Lily leaned against the rail, looking up at him, careful to just focus on his face. She smiled slightly in embarrassment. "Actually…nothing." He raised an eyebrow at her. "You see." She slowly came up the stairs. "I was awake and-" She sat down on the step below the one he sat on, looking up over her left shoulder at him. "Well you're usually up late at night…"

"Something we have in common." James smiled. The _only_ thing, he reprimanded himself silently, that we have in common. After that the similarities end.

Noble. Pirate

Good person. Not so good a person.

No one out to kill her….never realized how many people were out to kill me.

Beautiful….well okay, James smiled a bit smugly, maybe there's a couple more similarities. He shook his head quickly, his face feeling warm as he realized Lily had been talking to him.

"What?" He asked her.

She gave him an annoyed look that made James wonder if she was about to snap at him. "I said, why are you out here?"

James shrugged. "No particular reason." He replied offhandedly, leaning his back against the stairs and looking upwards.

Lily watched him. "You had a nightmare."

James glanced up at her quickly. "Something like that." A horrible nightmare, worse than anything you could possibly imagine, he thought to himself.

It didn't matter that it had happened hours ago, just at sunset, he couldn't close his eyes without picturing it. Riddle, the body...cold and dead.

And then there was Sirius' answer to the dream, that he was falling in...James shook his head, biting the inside of his mouth. Well that just made his head spin around looking for a logical response.

So far he'd only gotten a headache and no sleep.

James sighed. "It doesn't really matter, it was only a dream."

Lily looked at her hands that were settled on her knees. "My cousin used to tell me that dreams were ways for people to see into the future."

James stared at her, trying not to completely lose it. "That is…extremely unhelpful."

Lily looked at him and smiled apologetically. "Oh…sorry."

James shook his head slowly, then leaned back on the stairs, looking up at the stars again. Lily arched her neck, following his gaze. Each star twinkled in its own unique way, shining brightly from the black sky.

"My father used to tell me each star's story…right before I'd go to sleep every night." Lily said slowly. James turned his head and watched her calmly. Smiling softly and watching how her lips parted just slightly as she smiled up at the sky, her chest rose and fell with each breath and her red hair caught around her ears. James blinked and realized that Lily had turned and was smiling at him. "I think he made most them up."

James chuckled slightly, then looked up at the sky. "What about that one's story?" He asked, pointing up to one of the stars.

Lily raised her head, looking where he pointed. She shook her head. "No…never."

"It's the South Star." Lily gave him a look and James smiled. "I'm not lying. It's the truth. His brother was the North Star." James pointed again. "They were princes long ago. The North Star was the elder of the two, and least likely to get into mischief." James felt a weight on his shoulder and paused, looking down. Lily was leaned up against him, her head settled on the area just under his shoulder. His arm had curved unconsciously around her back, holding her there. Her eyes were gazing up at the stars as she settled against him. James swallowed, wondering if he should move. After a quick and silent internal battle he talked himself out of the idea, though he made sure his own arm wasn't holding her close to him…at least no closer than she already was.

"When the king died, North Star became the next king." James continued slowly. "His younger brother was thrown to the side, made to feel as though he was the bottom rung on the ladder. Left alone he began to steal, rob, kidnap anyone or anything he could to survive or get money. In a way he was the first thief."

James studied the sky a moment. "Finally the South Star, the Thief, got sick of the small amount of money he obtained, and decided to pay his brother back for ignoring him after becoming King. So, one night he snuck into the castle and stole…." James stopped. This is silly, why am I telling her this story, he wondered.

"What did he steal?" Lily asked softly from beside him.

James took a breath. "He stole the King's bride-to-be. Kidnapped her from the castle and took her away through the forest, out across the seas, to a small island. He decided he would keep her there until his brother gave him what he wanted: respect by the court as royalty, and gold, a lot of gold.

"So he sent word and waited. But then something unexpected happened." James felt Lily move beside him. "He fell in love with the bride-to-be.

"He fell in love with her, so deeply that he decided he wouldn't, couldn't, give her back to the king, even if his brother tried to pay the ransom. He couldn't release her.

"When the King found this out he got angry. He tore apart the land and sea looking for his younger brother before he finally found him on the island. Angry, he attacked his brother. Thief and King fought along the island for days, never giving in to each other.

"Then, after days of fighting, the King got the upper hand. Just as he was about the finish his brother with a final blow, the bride came in between them, taking the mortal blade intended for the thief. You see…" James paused. "She'd fallen in love with him too.

"She died there, in the Thief's arms. And as she did the King told the Thief what he knew to be true…it was his fault, her death was on the Thief's hands, if he hadn't fallen in love with her, and just given her back to the King, she would not have been dead. The King banished him to the far reaches of the land, never to be recognized as anything more than a thief."

James gazed at the bright South Star that twinkled in the sky, shining its light down on him. "An old beggar told be that story when I was a boy." James said softly. "He said people call the South Star the Pirate Star, because whereas a good sailor will follow the North Star home to England, a bad sailor, a pirate, will turn away from the good, turn away from the King, and follow a different star, like the South Star did."

Sighing James shook his head. "The beggar told me that that was the reason pirates never fell in love. Because the first Thief did, and it only ended up hurting the one he cared about. And it would always happen that way..." Always, James thought in the back of his mind.

James let out a loaded breath, looking across the ship. "Of course Sirius argues the point with me quite often." He smirked slightly at his attempt to lighten the heavy cloud that had decended upon him. He stopped suddenly when he heard no response. "Lily?" He looked down and blinked at her. She was curled up against his side, her eyes closed and her warm breath tickling his chest as she slept.

"Well," James scoffed. "I didn't think it was that boring when _I _heard it." Her only response was to adjust her head on his shoulder.

James sat there for a moment, smiling down at her. She was so peaceful, looking so content, lying there asleep. An innocent smile across her lips, brought on, he assumed, from some dream behind her eyelids.

He shook his head, and bit his lip, gathering his thoughts. "Come on, you." He turned on his side and keeping his right arm behind her back, his scooped his left arm under her knees. Standing up her held her against his chest as her head lolled against his shoulder. She felt warm against his bare chest and a tingling sensation ran up his body. "Let's get you to your bed." He told her softly, stepping carefully down the steps and across the deck.

With his shoulder he pushed open the door, and walked down the steps that lead below deck. He nodded at two pirates at the bottom of the stairs who stared from Lily back to him with curious expressions. He evaded them as he proceeded down the hallway.

James paused at Lily's door and managed to open it without dropping Lily, then went into the room. He glanced around, it was fairly empty, a chair sat in one of the corners with a stack of her extra clothing on it. Under the only small window there was sat her bed, the blankets laid out neatly. James shook his head, smiling. She wakes up in the middle of the night and still makes her bed? James wondered. I don't even remember the last time I made my bed. He noticed the bottle of rum he had given to her sitting partially under her bed, still full and corked, and, peaking out from under her pillow, was the knife.

James shook his head and gently laid her down on her bed. He pulled the blanket from under her and pulled it over her body, up across her shoulders. He straightened and looked down at her.

The moon peaked in from the window, casting a glow across Lily's sleeping face. James sighed, watching her. She was beautiful, no denying that in a million lifetimes. And her spirit…hidden away beneath her, daring to raise it's head whenever it felt the need. James smiled softly. Beautiful girl, inside and out.

His knees felt weak, and James gave in, kneeling down next to her bed, putting the back of his fingers on her cheek. He stroked back her hair from her face and smiled. There was a buzzing warmth in his chest, right behind his breast bone where he could feel his heart pounding the blood through his body in a thunderous roar. It was unlike anything he'd ever felt before.

"There's another story I know." He began softly. "It's about a pirate. He pillaged a ship and stole a girl off of it, tied her to a contract and kept her on his ship. They snapped, fought and threw rocks at one another. He despised her and she him." James went on, brushing a finger against her cheek. "She was stuck in her high-and-mighty despising a pirate ways, and he thought she was just a spoiled noble."

"Then…" James smiled at her. "For some reason, he started to trust her, and care about her...started falling in love with-" James stopped watching Lily, a startled expression on his face, astonished by the betrayal of his mouth. Lily didn't waken though, wasn't aware of what had been said, as she nuzzled her face against her bed.

The surprised look faded to sadness as James let out a long breath, then he set his chin on her bed and looked across at her face. "Except, there's one problem…" He whispered to her, watching as her face retained its peaceful image. "He doesn't know this story's ending."

* * *

Good? Bad? Confusing? Sweet? Please tell me, I need to know!!! 

On the next update, it might be a little while (ducks and hides for a moment) but my schedule is absolutely hectic for the next little while with National History Day (I did good in Regional Competition which means I'm going to State...darn), prom, the play (guess what we open in a month and what cast doesn't have costumes or choreography, and the like? hehe yeah), a wedding (not mine I assure you), plus studying and taking 3 AP exams in the next couple weeks...yeah absolutely no free time for me, but I will work my hardest on working on the next chapter I promise, just please bear with me. I know its infuriating when I don't update in awhile but I really do try and if I can't it's definately not because I don't want to, it's because I simply have no time.

Anways, please _please_ lend me your thoughts on this chapter!! Reviews are wonderful and appreciated!!!! ;)


	18. The Decision

It's so strange, when I first started writing this story it was planned out to have like 13 chapters and was much less in depth and complex than it turned out. But I am thrilled with it and glad that you guys are enjoying it. Anyway, here is chapter 18, it's probably the longest chapter I've written and it took a lot of work so I hope you enjoy it.

Some other news...I probably won't be able to update for awhile, since I will be attending Governor's School from June through July. There might be chances where I can work on my story but I'm not promising anything. Please be patient. :)

**Disclaimer: It's chapter 18...by now I think we've all realized that the only characters I own are the ones not listed in the Harry Potter books...oh and I own the storyline:)**

Enjoy!!

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Chapter 18-The Decision

Lily's breath was a quick gasp as she held her sword against James'. James grunted, his arms shaking slightly with fatigue that coursed through his limbs. The metal of the swords slid against one another with a ring. With a final shove of the swords the two opponents backed away.

Her sword hanging limply in her sweaty palm, Lily pushed the strands of red hair off her face. James leaned his leg against the edge of the desk and gave her a half smile. "You're getting stronger. I think I even started sweating a little."

Lily snorted at him. He'd already shed his shirt because it had been turned clear with sweat, now he stood only in breeches and boots, his shoulders, arms, and torso wet with drops of sweat. His hair was slightly damp as well, clinging to his brow. Lily could feel her own clothes sticking to her skin, but she prayed they weren't as bad as James' had been. She certainly wasn't about to discard her own sweaty clothing.

They'd been at it for hours, practicing and testing each other, she being tested more often. It was more enjoyable now that James had to put up defenses as well, of course, she still tended to do most of the defending, but Lily assumed that was to be expected.

Lily sighed, her arms were heavy and her legs weak beneath her. James noticed with a quick flick of his eyes. "A break." He said in a relaxed voice. He set his sword down and went to reach around his desk to the cabinet sitting behind it. Lily leaned her sword against the desk and stepped up, trying to look at what James was doing. James straightened suddenly and tossed an object at Lily. She barely reacted in time to catch the small dark colored bottle in her hands. Lily could hear a liquid sloshing around inside the bottle, but was hesitant.

It wasn't as if James hadn't given her rum before.

"Um…James?" She asked. He had bent down again, but now he straightened up, holding another bottle in his hand.

"What?"

"This…" She gestured to the bottle, holding it out and listening to the liquid again. She frowned slightly and raised her eyebrow at him.

James chuckled. "It's not rum. It's water." Lily continued to give him an untrustworthy look. "Trust me." He said it flippantly, but his eyes were calm and serious. Lily let out a quick breath, her fingers fumbling with the cork of the bottle. As she took a drink she realized with a smile that the cool liquid running down her throat was water. She pulled the bottle away from her mouth and took in James' grinning, if not slightly smug, face.

James had pulled the cork off his own bottle and had taken a sip. Lily wasn't going to ask if it was rum or water, she didn't have any urge to know. She needn't have worried about asking him, though, for he answered it by saying, "Water." In a very informative tone. "Rum tends to make you a bit tipsy…not something you want to be when carrying around a long pointy object." He told her, the edges of his lips curling in a grin as Lily hid her smile.

He raised his bottle to her in a mock toast fashion, before taking another gulp of water. Lily followed suit, but paused. The sunlight from the window had fallen on James' shoulders and back, causing a long shadow across the floor. As he ran his hand through his hair the sunlight caught the markings on his arm.

"James? What happened to your arm?"

James' arm froze halfway through his hair, and a startled look crossed his pale eyes. Slowly he lowered his right arm and looked it over. Now that it was in full sunlight Lily could distinctly make out crossing markings from his wrist to his shoulder. They were a very faded tan, still lighter than his skin, but barely visible normally. It wasn't a wonder she'd never seen them before.

"Oh…those?" James asked, if slightly uneasily. "Just…from a misunderstanding." He added the weighted word and Lily looked at him unconvinced. He must have sensed it because he came over and sat on the edge of the desk, closer to her than he had before, he held out his arm and Lily saw that most of the scars weren't even raised above the skin anymore, which meant they would have had to have been older.

"What sort of 'misunderstanding'?" Lily asked, resisting the urge to run her fingers on the scars. She could still feel the steady warmth running along her skin and beneath her breastbone from when James had first shed his shirt, and his close proximity wasn't helping the fogginess in her mind. However, the genuine curiosity of the story that lay behind the marks, and there was always a story behind it Lily had realized, seemed to have ebbed away at the nervousness she felt.

James was oblivious, or so it seemed, as he relaxed his arm to run his finger along the rim of his bottle, deep in thought and concentrating on the glass object in between his palms. "We were 18, Sirius, Remus and I had been out of the orphanage for about two years. We were living on the streets, in abandoned attics, barns, sheds, anywhere really. But we ended up spending most of our time in the pub. There was drink, food. Best of all it was warm and was open all night, so unless you wanted a cozy bed to sleep in, without fear of getting gutted-" James flinched at his bad choice in words, casting Lily a cautious glance. "Unless you wanted a…uh safer place to sleep, the pub was a perfect place to stay." James shrugged. "Sirius stayed mostly for the wenches, I joined in here and there, and Remus…to an extent."

"It was late that night, and we had come into the pub for a drink and to have some fun. It was a normal activity for us…" James stared ahead, remembering that particular night better than he made Lily believe. He, Sirius, and Remus had been sitting around at one of the tables that was more in the shadows. Sirius had a young girl sitting on one of his knees, her hair very dark with eyes that smiled at Sirius even as she smacked his arm.

A pint of rum was in his own hand. As he took a sip Sirius said something and James barely caught himself from choking on his drink.

Remus sat at the end of the table, smiling at the girl who sat next to him, his eyes never leaving her. She was too pretty to be a wench, in Sirius' opinion. Too kind and composed to be one, in James' opinion. But in Remus' opinion, wench or no, with her thick golden hair, dark blue eyes, and smooth pale face, she was perfect. James didn't even remember her name, but he knew Remus did, from the look on his face as he watched her, James knew Remus would never forget that girl or her name.

James took a tight breath. "That night this Count came in. In that port there were pirates and nobles coexisting. But not in any harmonious way, we really just ignored the other party. That's why it was so strange to see any noble come into a run-down pub." James shook his head bitterly. "He was a pig disguised as a count; thought he was better than anyone else living around there, and deserved better, and went out of his way to try and prove it."

Lily nodded slightly, she knew exactly what he was talking about. Nobles who used their nobility as an excuse to do whatever they wanted. She'd met a couple of them in her uncle's court. She hadn't been fond of them then, and she was sure, from the tone of his voice, that James wasn't fond of them either.

"He may have been drunk before he came in with his lackeys." James was almost sure of the fact, remembering how the Count had walked and talked, weighed down with drink. "But he ordered more drink anyway. That's when trouble started. He began ordering more, getting louder, harassing the girls…." James' hands tightened on the edge of the desk where he'd placed them.

"We weren't bothering him…tried to ignore him. But he came over anyway, trying to make his presence known." He'd called them all pirates and worse, spitting out more vile words than James had used in his entire life. Lily saw James' whole body tense and felt a shiver run down her spine at the look of hatred in his eyes.

"And then he…hurt one of Remus' friends." The girl. The count had grabbed her and hurt her, made her shrink away from him. Made fear flood her eyes that had turned to Remus for help. Remus had turned cold as ice, the owner of the pub had come back and forced Remus to stay in his seat, saying that the girl was any man's claim, that the count had more money, more right than a 'flea-bitten orphan runaway'. And that she was 'just a wench'. James had never seen Remus have as much rage as he held back at that moment.

Then the Count hit her, and the last barrier broke. "Remus went after him. Broke his nose I think with his first punch." Lily gaped at him, her perception of Remus was the calm and collected Englishman, who didn't appear to be in his proper place on a pirate ship. Always with the wise word or the soft sincere look.

But James knew Remus. He knew that passion was built up inside of him, that the calm and collected pirate would as soon as kill anyone who tried to hurt someone he cared about, especially a girl. The girl.

Remus had seen the girl's cheek turn red from the hand that had slapped it, and the Count's friends laughed as the girl tried to pull away, but the Count wouldn't let her go. James remembered Remus telling him later in a private hideaway that he'd seen red and the laughter had burned his ears to the point where he didn't even hear the pub owner's yell as he shoved him aside, didn't hear James and Sirius get to the feet and fumble around with words. All he could see was the Count and all he wanted to do was kill him.

"I thought Remus was going to kill him." James said honestly. "He almost did." The girl had scrambled away, hiding behind one of the tables as another wench came to comfort her. Remus on top of the Count, pounding him into the floor. Sirius and his legs feeling like lead as they watched their friend.

"The Count's friends jumped in suddenly. Seems they didn't like the odds." James went on. That was when life had sprung back into Sirius and himself. "Sirius and I went in then, but it didn't improve the odds that much. They were bigger than a couple 18 year olds, and we had no swords, guns, knives. Just our fists. There were about ten of them, three of us." James shrugged, remembering shoving his shoulder into one of the men who had tried to tackle Remus, Sirius had grabbed a rum bottle and bashed one of the men over the head with it. Remus was still at the bottom of all the men, trying with everything left in his body to finish the Count.

"It started getting…nasty." James went on, unconsciously rubbing his forearm where some of the scars rested, an act that didn't go unnoticed by Lily. The Count and his friends had taken out their knives, pulling the advantage back into their favor. "All it left us to do was get out of there, and hope we'd kept most of our skin intact." Remus hadn't wanted to go, he and Sirius had to drag him as they ran out of the pub, down the dark road, cutting through alleys until they found an abandoned shack to hole up in and look themselves over.

"Sirius was cut up here and there, mostly he had some bruises and gashes from the fists and feet. My arm was in ribbons and my face was pretty swollen." James shook his head. "Remus was the worst, he was cut up, bruised, and battered." James snorted in half amusement. "I remember him telling me he wanted me to help him back to the pub to finish the fight. Sirius knocked him over the head and he slept like a baby for the rest of the night."

"What about your wounds?" Lily interjected suddenly, looking at his arm.

"We bandaged them, cleaned them the best we could. Found an old lady who took pity on us and let us stay with her. She made the best bread." James murmured with a faraway look in his eyes.

Lily eyed him until he looked down and cleared his throat. "Ah…well after we'd rested a bit we decided to…well settle up."

Lily frowned at him. "'Settle up'? What does that mean?"

James held her eyes. "We went looking for the Count. We knew we couldn't kill him, or fight him and his hoard again. And he probably wasn't going to be strutting around any pub anytime soon. So we did the next best thing we could think of." James grinned. "We stole his ship."

Lily gaped at him, her jaw slack and her eyes wide. "You….you….did what?!"

James chuckled. "We stole his ship. It was sitting in the harbor, just waiting to be sailed. We got on it, there was two other men there, and we convinced them a life as pirates of my crew would be better than the stuffy old Count…for one they'd get paid more." James realized Lily wasn't looking amused, actually she was still staring at him like a gaping guppy. He rushed on. "The ship had been a pirate's, or so the crew said, and so we were just returning it to its rightful place. Renamed it to. It's original name was something like the…ah…_Moon Whisp_…." James' face grew nervous. "Um…Lily?"

"This ship….was stolen…" James nodded. "From a Count…" Nod. "When you were…18?" Nod again. "As a way to get back at him?" James nodded a fourth time, this time somewhat sheepishly. "That's absolutely…" Lily fumbled around to find the appropriate word and found mouth moving silently again.

James nervously rubbed the back of his neck. He hadn't let Lily in on the whole truth. The whole truth was that after a week at the old lady's Remus had gone off back to the pub to check on the girl. And Sirius and James had followed him, only to find the owner of the pub telling them, in a snide tone, that the girl was gone.

Where? He didn't know, or just wouldn't say.

Why? All the owner's answer was, was to spit the word pirate at them and turn away to serve a 'more civil' customer.

The whole truth was that Remus had searched every room in the pub. That he had returned every night for two straight weeks to look for her, to sit in the back table and watch everyone who milled around. And then took to searching every pub that was in the town, from the dirtiest to the most regal.

The whole truth was that they'd stolen the ship partially to allow them to go along the coast and look in other ports and other pubs.

The whole truth was that Remus had searched every port, every pub, every room; had gone in inns and restaurants looking for her; had stayed up late at night in James' cabin scratching away at an old weathered map trying to find the next port where she could be.

The whole truth was that the girl disappeared. That after that night they never saw her again, even though they looked for weeks, months, years. And that after those weeks, months, and years had passed, Remus finally stopped looking, and they stopped going into every port, and started marauding ships.

The whole truth was that Remus stopped being an orphaned, carefree child. That he started being the sensible one, the one that pointed out what could go wrong. He had changed, like James and Sirius, when he became a pirate. But where as Sirius became more flamboyant, James more daring, Remus became more conscious, introspective, more serious, and, though he'd never admit it, much more protective of his friends.

The real, whole truth was that Remus still looked over his shoulder whenever they went into a pub, as if holding onto a small sliver of hope that he would see smiling dark blue eyes, or a flash of gold hair, even though his common sense told him not to waste his time.

But James couldn't, wouldn't, tell Lily that. That was Remus' secret, it always had been and it always would be until he found someone to tell it to. But only then.

"I can't believe you did something like that!" Lily broke into James' thoughts and he blinked at her.

"Wh-what?"

"I can't believe you stole a ship!"

James raised an eyebrow at her. "I steal gold, chickens, food, other interesting objects of value, even daughters of Dukes off ships." He told her solemnly. "And you're surprised that I actually stole a ship?"

Lily held his gaze for a moment. "Who were the two crew members?" She asked him slowly.

"Cook and Peter." James said slowly. "I hold the personal belief that Cook was on this ship when the original pirate had it, but don't tell him I said that. He likes to guilt me into thinking he was a 'honor-bound, starch loyal Englishman' before I came onboard."

Shaking her head at Cook's, and even Peter's, origins, Lily eyed him. "You stole a ship."

James blinked at her. "You asked me about my arm." He reminded her. "And you're stuck on the fact that I stole a ship."

Lily blushed faintly. "How on earth did you do it?"

James grinned at her. "Talent, milady. Pure and genuine talent."

Lily snorted at him and James frowned. Lily studied the design on the edge of the desk. "The odds were completely against you." She said slowly. "You could've grabbed Remus and ran, but you stayed and fought…even when there was no way you could possibly win." She waved her hand around at the room that was just as messy, if more so, now as it had been when she'd first come in there. "The odds of stealing a Count's ship, and getting away with it, and the two crew members not putting on a fight but joining you…the odds are even steeper."

James blinked at her as she raised her eyes to meet his. "The odds are often against me." He allowed. "But odds of three to ten, were far better than those of one to ten. Remus needed us and we helped, the odds don't really matter when your friend is in trouble."

Lily studied him from his bright eyes that held a bit more seriousness than normal in them, to his lean body that towered over her, his face calm and composed, a small smile playing on his lips. For all that he smirked, smiled, joked, laughed, teased, and even fought. He was no child. He wasn't naive, not about things of the sea or about the people that sailed them, or the people that hid away from them. "So when the odds are all against you…you'll still fight?"

Studying her James replied, "For a good reason."

Lily swallowed. "What about Riddle? When the odds are stacked against you, will you still fight Riddle?"

James stood there, unable to answer. "Story-time's over, Lily." He told her softly, almost guiltily. "It's time we got back to what you're here to do."

Lily started to frown but caught herself. She'd already learned James didn't like to give away information. You had to demand it, sneak it, or win it in a contest. And even then it wasn't easy. She would just have to settle for the answers he'd already given her, though her last question clawed at her stomach, demanding its attention. Lily bit back anymore words and nodded. "Okay."

James yanked out his spare dagger from his boot and set down the jug of water on the desk. Lily looked down at the knife he held, an uneasy feeling crawling up her skin.

"A knife?" She asked him, unsure.

James flashed her a grin, a sudden contrast from his facial expressions moments before. He flipped his knife and then caught the grip in his hand. "Think of it as a shorter sword." He told her, stepping back into the open space of the room.

Lily, nervously standing there, watched him move. Swords were longer, she could keep James, or any opponent, away from her. But with a knife you were much closer, and one mistake, one slip of the wrist…

With a shaking hand she pulled her knife from her belt and moved sideways to face James, who noticed her nerves showing through her face.

"Relax." He told her softly, stepping so there was a foot of space between them. "It's the same movements." He coached her as he positioned the blade in her hand so as she clutched the handle, the blade rested against her forearm.

James' knife arm came toward her, slower than normal. Lily reacted, catching the blade with her own, its new position against her arm giving the parry more strength. She shoved his arm away from her and James sidestepped. Remembering the familiar movements, Lily swiped at him with her knife. James twisted his arm and caught her.

"Just a shorter sword." He reminded her, twisting out of her grasp and striking back, angling his body enough so that if she missed the blade it wouldn't hit her flesh. But he'd underestimated her, as Lily turned in direction of the blow, and caught his knife with her own. The two blades strained against one another, and Lily half smiled. "The same movements." She repeated.

James grunted and twisted, his free hand grabbed Lily's forearm, which wrenched her against his chest, the two knives locked between them, James' other hand still tight around her arm that held the knife. Her other hand hung limply at her side, her chest pressed against his, so that she could feel the tense muscles under his skin. Lily's face was upturned, James looking down, his face inches from hers.

"Just…a…closer…proximity…" He said hoarsely, his warm breath sending tingles across her lips.

Lily felt a beat against her chest, but couldn't tell if it was her heart or James'. She thought about wrenching herself away, considered averting her eyes, or saying something in reply. But her words wouldn't work, and her body wouldn't obey, and her eyes were held captive by James'. His blue depths had darkened slightly and Lily saw a rough stubble of hair on his cheeks, around his lips…light-colored, soft, warm and inviting looking lips from where came a warm breath that melted across her face.

James felt Lily's pulse through the arm he held beneath his rough hands, felt her pressed up against him. Somehow, as he held her eyes with his, as his mind with all its misgivings and worries misted, he felt her move in his grasp, up toward his lowered face, that had dropped slowly toward hers, like a weight being pulled down through the ocean.

Her moist lips barely brushed his, just far enough to not truly connect, but close enough to send a shock through his body. His hand tightened and a single, traitorous drop of sweat fell from James' brow in a silent splash onto Lily's face.

The wetness caused Lily to pull away, moving barely inches away, but in the greater distance James felt his mind register and his senses plummet back in his stomach. He let go of her arm quickly and stumbled back away from her, tripping over his feet and falling so his back hit the wall, his knife dropping from his hand, gaping and eyes wide watching Lily.

In the same movement that caused James to leave, Lily lost her balance and took a shaky step backwards, her eyes snapping open and her body straightening staring at James who was against the wall watching her with a scared look on his face. Her knife hand had fallen against her side, her fingers shaking so that the knife fell from her fingers to land with a large clunk on the floor, the sound echoing through the now silent room.

What happened…what almost happened…James stared at her, his stomach twisting with an uneasy guilt as he stared back into Lily's eyes. His neck was unusually hot, his body tense, yet his muscles felt like water as he looked back at her, his knees nearly buckled and he gripped the wall behind himself to keep steady. Lily swallowed, her breath tight in her chest as she realized her body suddenly felt cold and her fingers still shook. She felt the flush running up her cheeks as much as she tried to stop it. Both hearts pounded loudly in their chests, so loud they feared the other would hear.

"Uh…erm…" James coughed. "Are you…." His words died in his mouth as he watched the flush running up her neck and cheeks to her brilliantly shining green eyes. James swallowed.

Lily let out a breath. "I….um…" she cautiously licked her lips. "Maybe I'll…"

"Yeah…." James agreed, half relieved.

Lily nodded her eyes sad behind the green. "Ah…okay…"

"Okay." James said slowly watching her.

Lily stepped backwards slowly, then quicker, her foot almost catching on a book lying on the floor. She reached the door, grabbed the handle and fell back through the door closing it behind her, then taking off across the deck.

James stared at the door for a moment before dropping down to the floor. He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned his head back against the wall. His lips were still tingling from her breath, his mind was twisting and rolling, his heart was pounding against his chest, harder each time as if to say Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.

James let out a groan and closed his eyes. He'd almost kissed her. She'd almost let him. Or maybe it was the other way around, she'd almost kissed him…he'd almost let her….oh damn.

James said the last word out loud. It echoed against the wall and hit him back in the face. He replayed it in his mind. Training. Story. Training. Kiss.

He let his arms fall to the floor and felt a rough page under his fingers. James opened his eyes and moved his hand to look down at the parchment. He picked it up and took in the painting. The woman and the man, dancing across the page. It had always seemed faded, now it was vibrant, colorful and burning his eyes. They looked so happy, the smile and the look in their eyes…

Painted eyes. Painted smile. It wasn't real. James scolded himself. The blood pounding in his head, he began to tighten his fist, causing the paper to crumple in his palm. But he caught himself and stared at the picture. The woman's hair flowing red across her shoulders, her bright green eyes…

James abruptly shook his head. Seeing things. Either fate was playing a very cruel joke or he was loosing his mind.

Or his heart. He'd never thought about that possibility before.

And I'm not going to, James thought forcefully, though his head still felt like it was spinning. He haphazardly tossed the page aside and leaned back against the wall, taking in a long breath. His eyes drifted and then fell on the dagger lying in the middle of the floor, it's blade catching the dimming sunlight from the windows. Her dagger, she'd left it when she'd run off.

When you sent her off, a part of him said.

You should return it, another part of him added.

James didn't move. He just sat there, thinking. He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear the door open and didn't hear Sirius until he had walked up and shouted in his face.

"James!"

The captain jumped and looked up, startled. Sirius looked down at him, his eyebrow cocked in a half amused, and half pitying look. "What are you doing?"

James looked at him for a moment, debating within himself whether or not to tell Sirius. It wasn't a difficult decision.

"Just thinking." He said slowly, standing up. He grabbed his own knife and stuck it back in his boot. He walked across the room and snatched up Lily's knife, turning it over with his fingers, running his thumb along the flat of the blade. Sirius looked over his shoulder.

"Isn't that Lily's?" He asked curiously.

James nodded. "She left it."

"Oh." Sirius studied his friend, wondering if James would expand on what he'd said. When James didn't Sirius moved on. "We're just inside port, so whenever you're ready…"He added uneasily.

The unease in his voice caused James to glance at him while he put Lily's knife in his belt to return to her later. "What's wrong, Sirius?" James asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

Sirius bit his lip. "I'm just not sure about this James." James raised an eyebrow at him in interest. "This port…it's not like any other port we've been to. Frankly its rather…noble. There are counts and dukes. The king is even said to have come here before!"

James shrugged a shoulder. "I've heard that. He stayed at one of the inns, it's become really popular now. But why do you care?"

"Yes, there're inns, with beds and sheets, without bugs. Markets with food. Ships that can take you to see the king, though I'm sure there are plenty of reasons to not see the king." Sirius went on.

James laughed slightly. "Sirius, we're not going to see the King. We're going to get supplies, look around is all. It'll be fine." Sirius didn't look convinced and James laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, smiling to his friend. "Sirius, no one is going to recognize us as pirates. We don't fly a pirate flag, we've got no brand…"

"Contract or not, do you think the Duke's been sitting on the side for the past almost six months with the knowledge that his daughter is still on a pirate ship where heaven knows what is happening to her?"

James' cheeks flushed. "Nothing has happened to Lily."

Sirius cocked an eye at him. "Well we know that, but he doesn't."

"He signed a contract. He's not going to do anything."

"It's his daughter, his pride and joy. You think he's not going to do anything? You put too much trust in those bloody contracts of yours." Sirius said bluntly and James blinked at him. "He is a Duke, a member of the royal family, he will find a way. I'm sure by now he has enough wanted posters up so that any person in an English port could recognize you." Sirius added.

James looked away. "Wanted posters aren't always accurate." He mumbled.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "James, if you walk into that port someone is going to recognize you. There will be dozens of British soldiers swarming the port, and at least one of them is probably going to be looking for you."

James frowned at him. "Since when did you become my keeper?"

Sirius shifted from foot to foot. "I have a bad feeling. A very bad feeling. If we go into the port trouble is going to happen."

James looked at his friend in exasperation. "Sirius, we need supplies, I need to get into port."

"Why doesn't someone else go in then?"

"Sirius I'm the Captain of this ship!"

"Someone is going to recognize you. There's a reason we've been avoiding most English ports lately. If the Duke hears about this…or has sent word already-"

James gave him a look and walked away to the end of his bed. He kicked open a trunk and began shifting through it, pulling out a red shirt that he threw over his head and buttoned up, though left the collar hanging loose. He rolled down the sleeves and then reached into the trunk and pulled out a long black overcoat lined with silver stitching. It stretched to his knees and had a thick collar that settled around on his shoulders as he shrugged into the coat. He snatched up a three pointed leather hat from behind his back, flicked the inside once and settled it on his head. He spread his arms wide.

"Think I look like a pirate now, Sirius?" He questioned.

Sirius had to admit that James looked good and put together with the rich colored shirt and dark overcoat. It made him look as if he had a higher position in society, especially with the messy hair hidden under the hat. "The hat…" Sirius flicked the hat's corners and it cocked to the side. "Pirate." James took the hat and threw it to the side, his hair went awry but there wasn't much that could've been done about that.

"Better?" James asked, unconsciously patting down on his hair. Sirius cocked his head to the side and then reached around and grabbed a wide-brimmed hat with a feather on one side. He set it down on James' head and patted it once.

James turned and looked at himself in the mirror. "No one is going to recognize me dressed like this. I look like a bloody Count. This shirt doesn't even have holes in it." Subconsciously James dusted off his pants with a hand.

Sirius smirked at him and reached out, holding up the key that hung from James' neck. "This might be a tip off." He told his friend.

James frowned and snatched the key back, stuffing it under his shirt. "Not the point."

"You don't look like a Count." Sirius said. "But you don't look like a pirate either."

James winked at him. "Perfect. Then anyone who is looking for Captain James Potter the pirate will be disappointed."

Sirius frowned, dreading the answer to his question. "What do you plan on doing in that get-up?"

"You're going to dock and I'm going, alone, into the town to look around. Then I'll come back and take part of the crew and we'll go get the supplies. But I'm going to scout it out first. And of course, as you pointed out, it would be best if I wasn't spotted as a pirate while doing so." He walked quickly past his friend toward the door. On the way he snatched up his sword and sword belt, strapping them around his waist. Even nobles walked with swords, it wouldn't be suspicious.

Sirius followed at his heels like a dog. "Are you out of your mind? Check around? This wasn't what I was trying to get at when I told you…." He grumbled, half under his breath.

James had made his way out the door and onto the deck. The ship was just outside the docking area. He turned and shouted up to the landing, "Bring her into the dock!" before turning back to Sirius. "Sirius this has to be done, you know that."

Sirius wrinkled his nose at him. "I've got a bad feeling." He said. "Something is not right."

James cocked an eye at him. "You sound like Remus." He glanced around and when he didn't spot the mousy-haired man he sent Sirius a look. "Where is Remus anyway?"

Sirius shrugged. "Sleeping. He has night watch tonight so he always…sleeps. And you're completely disregarding my point!!"

James sighed and looked at his friend. "You're right, the King and Duke are only a puddle-jump away. And you're probably right about the Duke, as I'm fairly certain I'm at the top of his despising list, and there could be wanted posters with my face plastered all over the town. But, I am going to look around and you are all-" He raised his voice to encompass the entire deck where many of the men had begun congregating. "going to stay on this ship until I get back. Then some of us will get supplies and we'll take back out on the sea. This is not a social port, it's a business one. It will be fine. Everything will be okay." He lowered his voice and looked Sirius square in the eye. "Trust me."

Sirius blinked at him and nodded. "I do." Then under his breath he mumbled, "It's the rest of the place I don't trust."

James took that as a valid answer as he stepped over to the side of the ship as it docked. The men ran around, some muttering under their breath about not being able to go into port, but James knew they'd accept it and move on it. He hadn't been Captain of a pirate ship for four years for nothing.

He leaned his hands on the rail, his shoulders moving with each breath as he stared into nothing. His blood was pumping in his ears, it always did when he fell back into his position of Captain, giving the orders, mapping out the plans, scouting the ports…it felt right. More right than getting drunk in a pub or watching the stars…especially more right than kissing the daughter of the man who was probably sitting at the castle cursing his very name.

James shook his head, his experience with Lily had almost vanished from his mind with everything that had been brought on by Sirius unease. It was probably just as well, he decided. I need to think a little before we talk again….figure out what happened….I'll walk around the port and then we'll talk…focus on one thing at a time. Now his shoulders were shaking slightly as his hands gripped the rail, and the blood pounding in his head was making it more foggy.

"James…"

"I know. Big, dangerous port where I shouldn't be." He gave Sirius a roguish smile as he flicked his collar up slightly. "Don't worry, mate, it'll be fun."

He jumped over the side of the ship, landing on the dock and making his way across the wooden planks toward the open town. Pausing he turned and looked back at Sirius, who was leaned against the side railing. "Remember, everyone stays on the ship until I get back."

He saw Sirius' nod and turned back to his task, nodding at the harbor master who gave him questioning look as he passed, and then he immersed himself in the crowd of people.

It was a day for the market, James realized as he followed the crowd of people down the streets into the open square where tables and cloth overhangs decorated the scene. Store fronts were crowded and children ran giggling under the stands of the sellers of fruit, chicken, and colorful trinkets. His eyes scanned the square, landing on it's finest building: _The Burrow Inn_. It was by far the oldest building, but was in the best condition. Light blazed from beyond the glass windows and sounds came from inside. James grinned slightly, if he really had been the noble he was pretending to be then he was sure he would've enjoyed that place. He put it in the back of his mind and then turned to scour the market.

He meandered around the different tables, taking in each of the merchants goods, mentally making a list of what he needed, as well as a map in his mind to find each table again…assuming the merchants decided to stay in one place.

James paused in the middle of the square, the people bustling around him. Some nodded politely in his direction and he smiled back at them. He saw a few button nosed girls walk by, giving him shy waves as they disappeared into another store. James smirked watching the goings on and barely registered the small boy that careened into his side.

"Whoa!" James reached out and caught the boy with his arm. "Hey, watch out, kid you're going to hurt someone." The young boy turned and looked up at him, blue eyes widening from a pale face set off by dark messy hair.

"S-sorry sir. Didn't see….you there…" the boy stuttered. James gave him a weak smile.

"Just…be careful." He said slowly, releasing the boy and watching him run off. He remembered running through the square in his old home on market day. Falling into strange men and women, his small fingers slipping into the pockets to try and snatch any money that would get him extra food that night. James watched the direction the boy had disappeared to, sticking his hands in the pockets of his jacket. It was a good thing he hadn't brought any money with him, since James could've sworn he felt tiny hands digging into his pocket as he'd caught the boy.

Shaking his head, James turned to walk off and felt himself run smack into another body, this one much larger than the boy had been. James stumbled back a step and felt his back hit another body and his arm grabbed by a strong hand, as if to help steady him. James' body tensed and he turned and looked up.

The man he'd run into was stocky, broad with thinning hair. But he looked mean enough to skin the fur off a bear. James' arm was caught in the grip of a leaner man, with blond, almost white hair and piercing dark eyes. James steadied his feet and stared back at the man, who had yet to release his arm.

"Sorry, didn't see you there." James said. His words were directed at the stocky man, but his eyes held that of the blond one.

"No our mistake. Avery should really look where he's going."

The man named Avery grunted, like a dog, and stood there. James felt the heat behind him of a body. He was blocked in and James knew it.

He studied the man before him. There was a very sickening familiarity to the man. James pulled his arm out of the near bone crushing grip of the blond man and forced himself not to stumble back into Avery. His eyes scanned the area behind his new acquaintance, catching sight of two larger men, both dirtier than any other towns-member, trying to casually look around at the merchant tables. Four of them, one of him. James felt the sickening feeling in his stomach increase ten-fold.

"It's all right…no one hurt…" James said slowly.

"Yes." The blond man went on, smiling a very thin smile. "No one hurt." From the look in his eyes J could tell the man thought it was a pity.

"Well I have places to be…" James sidestepped around the blond man.

"Yes of course. Us too. You see we're looking for a key…"

James froze in his tracks, his blood turning to ice and his heart beat pounded against his chest. It took all the self control in his body to not reach for the key under his shirt. Slowly he looked over his shoulder at the blond man, who had turned to face him, smiling slightly.

"A…key? What's so important about a key?" James asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

The other man smiled. "We need it to help us open this chest, we're looking for."

"Anything valuable in the chest?" James asked, his voice innocent as his eyes kept track of the four men, his muscles tense.

The blond man shrugged. "Who knows. Gold, silver, trinkets…All I know is that our captain wants it. And-" The man leaned forward slightly, a grin playing across his lips as his eyes flashed. "He'd do almost anything to get his hands on it."

James' fists were in his pockets. He tightened them as he felt them try to shake with the rest of his body, but he wouldn't allow it. He saw the two bigger men walk off, and then the man named Avery. The blond haired man was the only one that remained, he smirked at James one last time and then turned, disappearing into the crowd.

The blood had drained from James' face as he stood there. People bustled past him, knocking his shoulders and glaring at him when he didn't move out of their way. But he couldn't move, his body had turned to ice as he stood in the square trying to gain his senses back.

Finally, with much effort, James started moving, stumbling backwards a step and then turning and almost frantically trying to push his way through the crowd. He trod on a couple of people's feet and even felt his leg knock into a table, which rocked dangerously as it's owner hollered after him. A sense of fear, ebbing away at his body pushed him as he stumbled and evaded the people. He knocked shoulders with more than one person and stumbled out of the crowd, finding himself in front of the Burrow Inn.

He gazed up at it, his mouth was dry and he glanced down, seeing a woman looking at him with concern. "Do you need something, dear?" She asked sweetly.

James mutely shook his head and fumbled with his feet as he fled back into the crowd. He felt his hat knocked off but didn't stop to find it as he shoved past more people, going down the roads past the numerous stores and homes. James nearly ran into a British soldier, whose red coat and white pants were out of place in the bustle of the crowd, who sent him a suspicious look as James looked back at him wordlessly. Turning, James fled down another street, his legs picking up speed as his eyes darted to the porches and overhangs of the buildings, noticing the red and white of the British soldiers grouped together in conversation.

"I heard that _the Valiant_ is sailing this way." One of them said.

"All the way from England…" Another said in a surprised voice. James sidestepped the group and rushed on, the words of the soldiers barely entering his mind that was too encompassed with the thoughts of pirates.

James felt the buildings looming over him, and the stares from the people whom he shoved by. It felt like a fire was at his heels and his stomach was pinching painfully in his abdomen. He pushed upstream through the crowds and streets until he finally reached the dock where his ship rested.

James let out a labored breath and came aboard. Some of the crew were settled around on the deck, while other appeared to have been below deck, sleeping or drinking. The men surrounded him as he came onto the deck and asked him numerous questions about the port and when they were going to get to go look around themselves.

Feeling sick James shook his head, mumbling something about waiting and all but ran to his cabin, slamming the door behind him and leaning against it. As he stood there he gazed out the window, the sun was beginning to dim in the sky, and he noticed dark thunder clouds rolling in from the horizon. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end and he took a couple steps forward into the room, standing there not moving, even when the door of his cabin opened and closed.

"James, you're back. How was the town?" Sirius asked coming over.

How was the town? James thought in his mind. Like walking into a nightmare, to be perfectly honest. But he knew he couldn't say that.

"It's a town." James said, his voice shook slightly. "British soldiers swarming all over…you were right about that." Too many soldiers…too many people, it was suffocating.

Sirius shrugged a shoulder, eyeing his captain warily. "It's a British owned port." He said. "And then King and Duke have probably stayed here on numerous occasions. Of course its going to be swarming with soldiers…probably one of the safest ports around, at least safe for everyone who isn't a pirate. I bet even Riddle wouldn't be able to wheedle his way in here without being noticed. Which brings up the point of us being here…"

Riddle wouldn't even be able to wheedle his way in there? Not unless he paid off some soldiers…either that or killed them. James felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He wouldn't put it past Riddle to do it.

Though Sirius had made a point…with the soldiers all around, the King and Duke both having visited and stayed, it had to be one of the safest ports. Pirates weren't going to wander the streets without some sort of disguise, and even then they'd have to be out of their mind to risk crossing paths with a British soldier. Even Riddle probably wouldn't risk strutting down the streets, whether he paid off or killed anyone or not. A person would be very safe there if they weren't a pirate…safe from Riddle and whatever he was planning on doing…

A fire blazed in James' mind and found it's way to his eyes. It was a glimmering hope and James attached himself to it, not daring to let it go. "Sirius."

Sirius stopped his talking at hearing his Captain's soft command. "Um…yes?"

"I want you to take the ship out to the harbor. Leave one of the small boats, we'll need it to get back to the ship." James said slowly, staring out the window. "And you will need to keep the ship ready to sail at any moment. Understand?"

"I-what?" Sirius paused.

James looked at him, his eyes steady. "I am going ashore and bringing seven men with me to get the remaining supplies."

"You're going back in there?! After you just admitted it was dangerous? That there are soldiers all over?"

"That's why the ship will stay out in the harbor, far from the British eye." James told him.

"Are you…you're out of your….well I'm coming with you!" Sirius stuttered.

James shook his head, his eyes were hard. "You and Remus are staying on this ship, I need you here. You'll find me six men and I'll go back ashore and then meet you in the harbor using the small boat." James repeated.

Sirius moved his mouth but no words came out. It was unlike James to give out a cool command like that. Of course as Captain he sent orders out all the time, but the way in which he told Sirius what to do seemed uncharacteristic. "James…." The look in James' eye told Sirius that he'd get no where arguing. Sirius held back a sigh. "Six men? I thought you said seven earlier." He said instead.

"I did." James turned, opening his door and looking over his shoulder at Sirius. "Six men and Lily." He turned and walked off across the deck.

Sirius stood there, his face slack as if he'd just been smacked. "I…what?!" He ran after James and caught up to him. "Lily?!"

"She's Cook's assistant, she knows what sort of food we might need."

"So would Cook." Sirius pointed out. "Do you think its safe to take Lily in there…?"  
James looked at Sirius as he paused at the door that led below deck. "Very safe." He said steadily. Sirius stared after him as James turned and disappeared down the steps.

James quickly made his way down the hallway. The silence stretched down the hall, pressing against the walls. It was unnerving.

He stopped at the open door to the galley, glancing at the tables where he noticed a few men drinking and playing cards. James stepped into the kitchen, then let a smile break across his face.

Lily's back was to him and he cold make out the dough she was repeatedly pounding. Flour rose up in clouds and James could just imagine the white powder settling on her cheeks and nose. James casually leaned against the wall, watching her.

Cook was standing opposite of her, cutting potatoes with swift precision. James shifted and the sound caused Cook to look up. A look of surprise crossed his face, but only for the briefest of moments. "Captain Potter." Cook said slowly.

James snapped out of his daze and straightened from the wall as Lily whirled so quickly that the dough almost fell from the table. James bit his lip, he'd been right: white flour was sprinkled across her cheeks, almost like freckles.

It was surprisingly charming, James thought in the back of his mind.

Sending a smile Cook's direction, James smiled, "Cook."

"Any particular reason you're down in the galley?" Cook asked. James' lips curled in amusement. Full of tact, that Cook was, James thought to himself.

"I was wondering if I could have a word with Miss Evans." James glanced at Lily whose mouth was shaking slightly and whose eyes had darted to look at anything that wasn't James. James cleared his throat, locking eyes with Cook. "Alone?"

Cook caught the look and didn't need twice telling. "I'll go make sure those lazy boys aren't causing too much trouble." And in the time it took to breath, he had made his swift way around the table and out of the kitchen.

James chuckled in the back of his throat, then looked back at Lily. She had leaned against the table, her hands resting on its edge and was staring down at the floor.

"Yes?" She asked him.

James came forward, looking down at the top of her head. "Is the floor that dirty?" He asked, his stomach churning as he noticed the heat coming from her body. He took a step back and craned his neck as if to try and look at her face. "Lily."

She raised her head, her breath tight in her chest. Her eyes looked worried and cautious, not that James blamed her, his heart was pounding rather loudly and nervously in his own chest.

He gave her a shy smile, that was uncharacteristic of him. "Hello."

Lily looked at him. "Hello."

James glanced around the room. "Been in here long?" He asked slowly.

Lily nodded. "It is my job." James could catch the undertone in her voice. Lily took a breath then turned and began kneading the dough again, her gaze concentrated on the soft substance.

James frowned slightly and stepped up right behind her, grabbing her right wrist before she could pound it into the dough again. James felt her freeze against him. "I know that." He told her, the shadow of a smile on his lips. "That's one of the reasons I'm down here."

Lily didn't turn around, afraid of how close she would be to James if she did. Her heart was pounding in her chest, as it had earlier in his cabin and Lily shook inwardly at what had almost happened. Almost kissed him….he'd almost kissed her back….it was frightening. But what was even more frightening was the empty sensation in her chest when he had backed away from her with scared eyes, as she had turned and fled the room. That numbing feeling that told her she had wanted him to kiss her and, more than that, had wanted to kiss him. That was much more frightening.

"The…reason?" She asked slowly, feeling his fingers still holding her arm.

"We need supplies, that's why we've stopped at port." James said slowly, looking down at the top of her head and feeling his blood run a little faster.

Lily nodded and her hair brushed under his chin. "I know." She said calmly, watching the dough as it expanded where her fingers had once been.

"I'm bringing some men into port. But I need someone who can tell me…what sort of food we might need." James swallowed. "Cook could do it, but I think I'd prefer you…I mean I think I'd prefer Cook staying on the ship….keep things in check in case Remus and Sirius can't handle it…everyone listens to Cook…." James continued, his words falling from his mouth.

A small smile appeared on Lily's lips at his floundering. She turned her head and looked over her shoulder, still keeping her eyes on a wall instead of on James. "You need my help in port…" She repeated.

James caught the smile on her face and half smiled himself. "Yes."

The one word was so strong and definitive that Lily turned fully and looked at him, all awkwardness gone. James smiled down at her and Lily dropped her eyes again, looking at James' hand that was still around her wrist. "I'll meet you on deck in a few moments." James said slowly above her. "After you've dusted off your face."

Lily looked up at him his eyes wide. James chuckled to himself and moved away, slipping something into the hand he still held. Lily glanced down, a shocked look on her face as she saw the dagger she'd forgotten in the cabin earlier.

"I thought you might miss it." James said slowly. She looked up at him and gave him a soft smile.

"Thank…you…" She replied. James nodded and dropped her arm, backing away until he was in the doorway, where he turned and disappeared into the galley, he walked out the door and fell back against the wall, the remains of the smile still on his lips as he stared at nothing. A sound caused his attention to turn to the figure standing in the hallway. Remus.

The second mate stared at him, an unsure look on his features. Whatever was left of the smile fell from James' lips and his straightened up, staring back at his friend.

"James." Remus said slowly.

"Remus." James nodded and turned, hurrying down the hall before Remus could get out another word.

Remus glanced into the galley, seeing Cook move back where Lily was still standing, looking down at the knife in her hands.

"What did the Captain want?" Cook asked her, cocking his head and watching her soft expression as she looked at the knife.

"He wanted me to come into port….to help him with supplies…" Lily said slowly, a smile across her lips.

"Oh really." Cook grinned behind the bristles on his face. "And you're going…"

Lily nodded.

Cook didn't hide his chuckle this time. "I thought he was just a lying, murdering, inconsiderate pirate?"

Lily looked up at him, her eyes glowed slightly. "So did I." She replied truthfully.

Remus, standing in the hallway turned his head in interest, glancing down at the hallway where James had disappeared, a suspicious look across his face. With a final glance at the galley, he started to make his way down the hall, following James' trail.

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James ruffled through the papers in his drawer, finally finding the one he needed and tossing it to rest on the top of his desk. He pulled out another drawer and paused, looking at the mound of gold coins that waited there. The sunlight from the window behind him reflected off their edges and danced with golden ribbons in his hazel eyes. He pulled out a leather pouch from his coat and then reached into the drawer, lifting a handful of golden coins, some of which fell between his fingers back into the drawer to clang against their friends. James lifted the handful over the bag and pushed each coin into the bag with his thumb. One. Two. Three. Four.

"James."

James started and looked up, Remus stood in the doorway, arms crossed and watching his Captain. "Did you run out of coin?" Remus asked him innocently.

James dropped the rest of the coins in the bag and tied it shut, stuffing it in his pocket. He snatched the paper off the desk and stuffed it in his jacket, checking for a moment the buttons of his shirt before returning Remus' stare. "No." He pushed the drawer in and walked around the desk, grabbing his sword and throwing the belt around his waist. As he struggled with the tie a shadow crossed his face and he looked up suddenly, finding himself face to face with Remus.

"James….what's wrong?" Remus asked him, his voice was uneasy.

James held his gaze. "Nothing is wrong, Remus."

A snort came from the other man, and Remus didn't look fooled. "Liar."

James pushed past him, but felt Remus grab his arm and turned back to face him. "Don't do something you're going to regret." Remus warned.

James pulled his arm out of Remus' grasp. "If I was going to regret it," He replied slowly. "Then I wouldn't do it." He turned and left the room, stalking out across the deck in time to see Sirius warily eyeing a good size group of men. James walked up to them. "These the men, Sirius?"

"Yeah." Sirius nodded, giving the group a frown. "They're the men." He looked back at James. "I'd ask if you were sure about this…but since you seem ready to leave I suppose that would be a moot point."  
James smiled. "You'd be correct."

Sirius gave him a tired look and then looked back at the men. "Well, I leave them in your able, yet completely suicidal, hands." He mockingly saluted James, then walked off. James shook his head after him, then turned to face the men, and proceeded to give the them their orders.

---------------

"I'll worry about the food when Lily gets here." James finally finished with the orders. The men shifted on their feet in front of him, as he caught the sidelong looks among the men, James held back a growl in this throat.

"You will not drink, wench, steal, or swindle _anyone_, understand?" James looked at them each in turn. "I don't want the attention of the English soldiers."

The men started. "English soldiers?" A man named John stuttered out.

"Scared of English soldiers?" Peter asked him, though he himself looked nervous.

"Well if they're looking to hang me up high, then yeah!" John spat back.

"Wouldn't you be nervous, Peter?" Another man named Micah asked. "Of course," the man sent the others a laughing look. "You are 'the lookout' aren't you."

"Stuff it!" Peter growled at him.

"You're used to 'hanging' around in 'high' places." Micah went on as the other men chortled. James rolled his eyes, noticing the redness that crept up Peter's cheeks in anger.

Peter gnawed his teeth. "You damn bas-"

James' eyes caught the person coming towards them and sharply looked at Peter. "Watch the mouth, Peter." He warned as Lily stepped up to them.

The men laughed and whispered loudly while Peter sent James a loathing look that James ignored. He turned to Lily, giving her a smile, which she returned. "Okay, let's go. Come on you nasty bunch of pirates."

"I'm hurt, Captain." Thomas put a hand to his heart and grinned as James knocked him upside the head, all in good humor. The men leapt off the side of the ship, landing on the dock. James took Lily's elbow and helped her set her feet on the deck. He jumped down himself, then turned and looked up at Sirius who was resting against the railing on the landing watching them.

"Take the ship just on the edge of the harbor." James ordered. "And be ready to sail." He added.

Sirius nodded, pointing toward the small boat that waited in the water, tied to the dock near James' foot. "Your ride is already prepared, oh captain, my captain." Sirius yelled back.

James rolled his eyes and turned back to the men. He led them down the docks, and onto the dusty streets that were thinly crowded with the townspeople. They passed by merchant tables and James saw out of the corner of his eye a couple of his crew members break off to do their respected jobs. When the group finally reached the large courtyard the rest of the group dispersed, leaving Lily standing shoulder to shoulder with James.

James stood still, his eyes scanning the people that milled around. Lily looked up at him, then at the crowd, feeling slightly nervous. James glanced down at her finally. "Come on." Lily followed him through the crowd, gazing at the different people that came around her. She suddenly stumbled as someone ran into her shoulder. Glancing back she saw a figure hurrying away from her.

"Lily." James' voice called her back and she glanced at him. "Do you know what you need?"

Lily smiled. "Cook told me. And he gave me some coin." She pulled a pouch of coins from her belt and showed him.

James eyed it then pushed her hand down. "Don't flash that around, you never know who might want to nick it."

Lily blinked at him, then glanced around. "But…this doesn't look like a pirate port…" She said slowly.

James studied her then shook his head. "No…it's not." And he left it at that. Taking her by the hand he led her over to the carts and tables near the far corner of the courtyard. Fruit was piled in bushels, meat hung in wooden rafters and other various foods piled in baskets, boxes and on tables. Lily gaped at it all and James stood behind her, staring over her head at it.

"Everything should be around here." He said, half to himself. Lily craned her neck to look up at him. "You look around here for what you need, I'm going to walk around there a little." He motioned with his hand toward the tall buildings a short ways down the courtyard. "I'll meet you in a little while….how about there?" He pointed at_ the Burrow Inn_. There was a table set up near its steps, mounted with bread and other goods.

Lily smiled. "Okay." She agreed. James stared to turn and walk away, but he felt Lily catch his arm and he glanced at her in surprise. "At the table?" She asked him, as if for reassurance.

He stared right into her eyes, hazel meeting green. "At the table." He said slowly, then left. Lily smiled after him, then turned to the nearest merchant.

James moved through the crowd, quickly glancing over his shoulder to see Lily in conversation with a merchant, then turned abruptly and made his way to the front of _the Burrow Inn_.

He paused near the steps, standing in front of the table, craning his neck upwards at the looming structure, noticing dark storm clouds hovering over the rooftops. James glanced down from the magnificent building and looked at the man and woman who stood bickering at the table.

They were married, it was obvious by the way they talked to one another, even as they argued there was a softness in their eyes. The woman was short and plump, orange-red hair. But despite her size she seemed to be very much in charge. The man was tall and lanky, at least a head and half taller than his wife.

"Molly, you need to be inside…not out here."

"Arthur I own this Inn as much as you do. Do not"-and here she poked her husband hard in the chest-"tell me where I should be."

"You already baked everything-"

"You're a horrible dealer when it comes to the goods." The woman pointed out and the man blushed a horrible red.

"Molly I think-"

"Oh hello, dear, may we help you?"

James was caught off guard and blinked at the friendly woman who had promptly ignored her husband to smile at him. "I…uh…"

"Oh come here, look at him Arthur he's so thin. Do you eat enough?" She asked him lightly, while her husband looked as if he wanted to shush her.

James looked down at himself, not thinking that he was any thinner than any normal person. "I…yes I do…I eat plenty…" James managed, smiling weakly at her motherly-like smile.

"Are you sure? Here, take some of these." As quick as a wink she wrapped up some of the bread and pushed it into his hands. "Free of charge." She smiled again.

"And you call me a bad dealer…" James heard the man named Arthur mumble to himself.

His wife frowned slightly at him, then looked back at James. "Anything else we can help you with, dear?"

James studied her a moment then took a breath, reaching into his pocket and dropping the sack of coins on the table top. They jingled loudly and the man and woman looked down at the sack, then back up at him, surprised looks on their faces. James rested his hands on the table and looked at them steadily.

"I need a favor."

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Lily was feeling rather proud of herself. She had managed to find everything she needed with coins to spare. She settled the basket filled with the fruit, meat, and vegetables on her arm and began making her way through the crowd toward the table that James had pointed out earlier.

The basket on her arm wasn't heavy at all. It had been a very small list of things to get, Cook had even said it wouldn't have mattered to go without them for at least another week or so. But the Captain had ordered it, and Cook followed those orders.

Lily sighed, pushing past some more of the people, looking for James' messy hair or unfamiliar black coat he now wore. She glanced up at the sky from time to time, noticing how the crowd around her was thinning, possibly due to the rumbling clouds overhead. Lily shook off the uneasiness of facing another storm out on the sea as she stopped in front of the table. Her gaze wandered upward, staring at the building, whose white walls were cast in the shadows of evening, and the dark letters of _The Burrow Inn_ looking down at her. Lily smiled softly, she vaguely remembered her uncle and father talking about such a place. They'd sung its praises, a hospitable place that was welcoming to all classes of people.

She turned and looked around at the people mingling around, many leaving the courtyard by the dusty roads. Glancing over each shoulder, an unease settled around her as she didn't notice James anywhere around. A worried expression came onto her face.

"Dear?" A warm voice came from behind her. It wasn't familiar, but Lily turned around to see a plump woman with lovely orange-red hair smiling softly at her.

"Are you looking for someone?" She asked softly, though something in her eyes said she already knew the answer.

"Um, yes actually he's tall, dark hair. I don't know if he told you his name…" Lily faltered.

"James." The woman said as if on cue.

Lily stared at her as the woman continued. "He didn't tell us a last name." Lily noticed the man standing behind the table, looking nervously at her. She faced the woman again.

"I don't understand…do you know him?" Lily said, a cold feeling running down her arms.

"No…but he did leave you this." The woman pulled a pouch out of her apron pocket and set it in Lily's hand. "It's gold coin." The woman explained.

Lily stared at her. She'd said 'he left _you_ this'. Left _you_. _Left_. Lily swallowed hard. "Why…why would he…." She stammered.

The woman gave her a soft look. "He told us we were to take care of you…make sure you were taken care of and kept safe here. Until we could find a boat to return you to-"

The basket fell from Lily's arm, crashing to the ground and sending the apples rolling across the dirt. Lily stumbled back a step her mouth gaping at the woman and her eyes wide with fright. Thunder crashed above her and lightning illuminated her face. She shook her head turning away and running a few steps, her head moving back and forth as she saw the roads leading away from the courtyard. Too many of them. She didn't know which one it was.

_Left_.

Thunder crashed above her and the clouds opened up, sending a torrent of rain down onto the ground. Yells from the merchants and buyers came from around her. People went running in opposite directions, crossing around her, running for their homes and shelters.

_Homes_.

Lily was clipped by a man and she fell to the ground, landing hard on her knees and hands. The rain was already turning the ground to mud and it splashed and seeped through her pants and stained her hands and cheeks. Lily gasped with the effort it was taking to control herself as she looked around. Legs and feet rushed by her. No one turned to her, no one leaned down to offer her a hand. She was alone. Abandoned and left.

"James!" The cry ripped itself from her lips and was echoed by a loud clap of thunder. "James!" She yelled again, her voice arching over the emptying courtyard. But no one stopped near her. And no hazel eyes smiled down at her. Her heart clenched tightly in her chest. "James!"

The pouch was clutched in her fist, Lily bent her head down, staring at it, half wanting to throw it across the courtyard. Lily swallowed hard, then stopped as a piece of parchment carried by the faint wind drifted across her hand. She picked it up and she saw the red stain of blood, and after it a name: James Potter

A contract broken…no a _promise_ broken. Left alone. The empty feeling surrounding her was strange. Months ago if it had happened the feeling wouldn't have lingered. Now it ate away at her….

The hot tears ran down her cheeks, mixing with the rain droplets that fell down her arms as she sat there in the abandoned courtyard, the mud surrounding her and the rain washing down on her.

"James…"

----------------

"Are you sure we shouldn't do something?" Arthur whispered to his wife as they stood in the doorway to the dining hall in the inn, watching the girl sitting at a table by herself. The bag of coin sat in front of her unopened, her fingers were running across a scrap of parchment and droplets of rain water fell from her hair to the floor around her. "She's been sitting there for hours, ever since you managed to pull her inside. That cannot be healthy, Molly."

Molly gave the girl a sad look. "There isn't much I can do. I gave her the blanket and some dryer clothes..."

Arthur looked at his wife. "Well won't she tell you what's wrong at least? From what I've heard she's been missing for nearly half a year now."

"She was kidnapped by pirates." Molly said. "That's what the rumor was." The kind woman shook her head. "But if that man was the pirate that kidnapped her…well he couldn't be."

"How is that?"

"You could see it in his eyes." Molly said slowly. "He was in love with her and wanted her to be safe. She was in love with him, just look at the poor girl. Alone and left by someone she cared about."

Lily stared at the name on the parchment, feeling, for not the first time that night, a rush of rage to the man. For taking her from her father's ship. For making her eat the horrible gruel. For making her the Cook's Assistant. For not allowing her to go to port. For hitting her with potatoes. For yelling at her. For being a pirate. But most of all for leaving her.

A tear ran down her cheek and Lily pushed it across her cheek with the back of her hand, trying to stop it. It wouldn't do to cry about it. Just a mean, nasty pirate, she thought to herself. Just a mean…nasty….horrible….

Molly shook her head watching the tears running down her face. "Poor girl." A young man suddenly ran up, coming in from the main door, through the parlor to her.

"Mom!" He called to her, trying to get her attention.

"Charlie don't shout, it's not polite." His mother scolded him, turning and looking at her young son. "What is it?"

"He's here." Her son gasped out, his reddish hair falling in his eyes.

"Who's here?" Arthur asked him.

"_He's_ here!!" The boy said emphatically.

Molly's eyes widened and she looked at her husband. "Should we tell-"

Arthur just stared at her, then glanced over his shoulder at Lily.

"Hello." A soft voice said and Lily looked up and noticed the short red-haired child looking at her with bright eyes. "What's your name? My name's George. My mum and dad own the Inn. Do you like it? I think it's too clean." The boy grinned at her.

Lily stared at him for a moment then tried to smile, but failed. "My name is Lily Evans." She said slowly. "Your parents are very kind." She shifted in her seat, feeling the warm blanket that Molly had placed around her shoulder shift. She glanced down and took in the clothes that Molly had provided her with: brown breeches that were just a little too big, as well as a pale colored shirt. They would do until her other clothes dried.

George pulled himself into the seat next to her. "That's what everyone says. That they're hospi…hopist….hospat…."

"Hospitable." Lily aided.

"Yup." The boy grinned at her and tried to position himself better. As he did so his arm slipped and sent the pouch of coins off the table. As the pouch hit the floor it opened, sending coins rolling in all directions.

"Oh no!" George said, falling from his seat to the floor, trying to scoop up the coins with his tiny hands. "I'm sorry…I didna mean to…"

Lily gave him a watery smile, bending down to help him. "It's all right…no harm done." She reached to pick up the coins.

George paused and held out a coin to her. "I like this one. It's pretty. But it looks different than the rest."

Lily looked at him oddly and took the coin from his hand. She turned it over with her fingers and a gasp came from her mouth, her eyes widening as she noticed the engravings in the gold. It was no gold coin at all.

It was the Key.

Anger clouded Lily's mind. He left me at this port, Lily thought to herself. With his Key? To protect his Key!!! How could he? How dare he!

Lily stood up suddenly, the blanket falling from her shoulders, staring at the key in the palm of her hand. Something was drastically wrong. And whatever it was had caused James Potter to leave her with his precious key to his lost treasure. Lily's mind raced as all traces of tears disappeared from her cheeks, replaced by a cold determination in her eyes.

There was a sound behind her but Lily didn't turn around. She didn't hear George's voice call to her, and barely felt Molly touch her shoulder. The only thing that registered, that brought her back from her deep thoughts was a single word, whispered by the man who stood in the doorway, drenched in rain water and watching her.

"Lily."

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Please review!!! 


	19. Shoulder to Shoulder, Back to Back

So I'm reviewing earlier than I thought I would be able to, and it's the longest chapter I've ever written (even longer than the last one ;). Plus I got 105 reviews on the last chapter, the most ever thank you guys so much, it really pushed me to finish this chapter!!!!!!!!

**Disclaimer: I do not own any Harry Potter characters you recognize. I do own Cook, Captain Ribbs (his treasure;) and the story line.**

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Chapter 19- Shoulder to Shoulder, Back to Back

The floor creaked under James' weight as he leaned against the knife handle, grunting as he forced the blade between the boards and pressed down. The board whined as it began to move upwards, pulling on the nails. James pulled the board up and set it aside. He let out a breath and looked down into the small niche the was revealed. Quickly he snatched up Lily's extra shirt and breeches, and the blankets off the bed that looked as though someone had slept in them. With shaking hands he stuffed them into the hole, hidden away in the shadows under the floor.

James cast his eyes around the room and spotted the bottle of rum sitting just under the bed. He reached over and slowly picked it up. Turning it over in his hands, gazing at the moving liquid. Carefully, he set it down in the floor on top of the bundle of cloth. He sat back on his feet for a moment, looking at the cloth bunched together beneath the floor, and the rum resting on top. Then he took the board and reset it in the floor, fixing it in place.

He stood up, swaying slightly as he stuck his knife back in his boot, then stared down at the floor, which now looked untouched. James licked his lips and glanced around the room. It was cold and empty.

James turned and left the room quickly, shutting the door. His hand clutched the handle for a moment.

What had he done?

His hand fell from the handle and he stepped back in the hallway, turning on his heel and walking off along the hall, the closed door disappearing over his shoulder into the shadows of the ship.

Stepping onto the main, deck he took in the sea that swirled around the ship. A mist coated the waters, drifting up just barely on the hull of the ship. James looked up. Dark clouds covered the morning sky, blocking out the light of the sun from his view.

A heavy breath escaped his stiff lips, and James averted his eyes back to the deck, walking across it, catching glances from a few of the crew who sat around on the deck, each giving him uneasy looks. James turned his face away when Cook's accusing eyes met his, fighting the urge to duck his head like a guilty child.

James paused on the deck, just outside his cabin, seeing Sirius and Remus near the railing, talking in low voices. James could almost see the hair rise up on the back of Sirius' neck as he turned and looked back at James. A whispered word and Remus turned.

James fought the unconscious swallow that threatened as he stood still in front of them. Remus' eyes were icy as they looked back at him and James knew what he was thinking without him having to say it. He let out a breath and deliberately turned his back on them going into his cabin.

Sirius gave Remus a look and Remus ignored him, instead going after James. Sirius followed quickly, just behind Remus, who caught the door as it almost closed, then stalked through.

James' back was to them as he leaned on his desk, looking as though he was reading some papers. In truth his fists were resting on the edge and his gaze was directed not at the papers in front of him but on the glass window behind the desk. His shoulders were stiff as if waiting for a blow.

Remus heard the door slam but continued sending glares at James' back. Sirius came up beside him.

"James." Sirius said, his voice was even but James could hear the anger hidden beneath.

James didn't respond, but slowly let a breath out.

Remus grit his teeth.

"James." Sirius repeated, his voice slightly louder.

James licked his lips, his mouth was dry and his throat ached.

Sirius tried again. "J-"

"What did you do?!" Remus burst out.

James' shoulders flinched at the sound, at the venom behind the words. "What are-"

"What did you do?!" James heard the footsteps behind him and straitened, turning to stand chest to chest with Remus, who looked much more ruthless than James had ever seen him.

"I didn't do anything." James finally replied in a slow monotone, then turning away to walk around the desk, his shoulder brushing Remus as he passed.

"The hell you didn't!" James felt Remus grab his shoulder, slamming him forcefully into the wall, his shoulder taking most of the impact. Remus held him against the wall with the front of James' shirt in his fists. Sirius was there as well with a hand latched onto each of Remus' arms.

"Remus stop-" Sirius tried to get out, pulling Remus' arms.

But it had no effect. It was odd to James, Sirius was always the hot-head, always the one most likely to get into a fight or act without thinking. Remus was the rational one, less likely to lose his temper.

But his temper was clearly lost as Remus held James there, his gray eyes flashing. "You go into port." Remus bit out. "You take Lily and the crew claiming that you needed supplies..."

"I didn't-" James began but Remus cut him off.

"Don't you dare lie, James Potter." Remus said, his voice was rough, his hands tightening slightly. "Don't you _dare_." James fell silent.

Remus' hold didn't loosen. "You went into port with Lily….and you come back without her. You tell us to set sail and you ward off any questions about what happened….what did you do!" The last phrase was a command.

James didn't answer for a moment and Remus shoved him again. "What did you-"

"I broke her contract." James told them steadily, his voice slightly hoarse. The heavy words fell across the room. James felt Remus' hold on the front of his shirt tighten. Sirius stared at him, eyes wide, letting go of his grip on Remus' hands.

"I broke her contract." James repeated. "I let her go…I left her at the Inn and-"

Remus' fist smashed into James jaw and James fell sideways, landing on his knees on the deck, holding the side of his face. A groan broke through his bloody lip as he bent over.

"You left her!! You abandoned her!!" Remus yelled over him. Sirius grabbed him around the shoulders holding him back from James, grunting with the effort it took to hold onto Remus.

"Remus-"

"I had to-"

"Damn it James, you did not!" Remus pulled against Sirius, who braced himself on the floor. "You did not!"

James closed his eye, his shaking hand pressed against his bottom lip, holding his jaw. Remus' words pounded into his head. Yes I did, James thought. I had to…I had to!

"Yes I did-"

"You're a fool!" Remus broke in, his chest heaving. "You're a damn fool. Did you even explain to her what you were doing? Did you tell her you were leaving her? Or did you lead her there on false trust and then abandon her?!"

James lowered his head, squeezing his eyes shut.

What did you do?  
I broke her contract.

I set her free.

I abandoned her.

Why?

I don't know.

"I don't know." James whispered, still bent over. "I don't know…"

Remus pulled against Sirius' arms which were still firm around him. "You don't know what? Why you left her? Why you lied to us about it? Why you lied to her about it?"

"I didn't _lie_ to anyone." James turned and looked up at Remus from the floor, his eyes burning. "I didn't…"

Remus' growl was overpowered by Sirius. "You left her." The first mate said, keeping his grip on Remus. "Why?"

Remus tensed and James looked down,. As he swallowed he tasted blood in his mouth. "I don't know…" His voice was muffled.

"What?"

"I don't know!" James yelled, looking at them, furious.

"Damn you, James!" Remus bit out. He wrenched himself from Sirius' grip, sending the first mate into the side of the desk. Remus stood over James, trying to maintain some of his old control. His arms and fists shook at his sides. "You know why you left her."

James was silent for a moment, his thoughts mulling through his head. He stood up and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His back was to Remus and he stared off into nothing, his lips moving soundlessly.

Remus stared at him. He knew love when he saw it, he'd seen it in Lily's eyes, but more importantly he'd seen it in James. For the first time he'd seen the burning flame in his friend's eyes, had seen the faint smile across his lips. That his friend cared about something so strongly, perhaps even without fully realizing it, made Remus think that pirating was even worth it.

And now? Now Remus was feeling anger that he'd never remembered feeling before. Not even toward that pompous Count. He was furious that James had thrown it away, had abandoned the only woman who'd ever captured his heart, no matter how unconsciously. No one threw that sort of love away, Remus thought harshly. When you're given all the chances to make it pure with no pretense, you hold onto it. I would've given anything to have that, Remus thought to himself, staring at James. Anything in the world just to feel that and have someone feel it toward me. To hold someone that wanted to be held. To have _her_ eyes look at me for just a moment more. You never let that go. You never _abandon _it.

"She loved you." Remus said, his voice was calmer but James could still hear the steely anger underneath. "She loved you James. And you loved her."

The heart in James' chest pounded hard as if agreeing with Remus. James took a painful breath.

She loved you.

You loved her.

No. James thought bluntly.

"No." He said aloud.

Remus glared at him, then grabbed James' arm and forced the captain to look at him. "Liar."

James stared at him. Liar, the word echoed in his head. Liar. Hypocrite. Untrustworthy. Pirate.

Guilt punched him in the stomach. But it wasn't because of Remus or Sirius or even Riddle…but because of himself. Because _he'd _tied her to the contract…he'd had no right to keep her on the sea…she shouldn't have ever been there…

He'd left her to clean his conscience …no, that wasn't right. He'd left her because she wasn't safe…no that wasn't right either.

He'd left her because his heart hammered under his breastbone and ordered him to. He left her because he cared about her…because he wanted her safe…because he trusted her….

James' shoulders shook. Damn it if he didn't care about the fiery red-head. He wanted her on the ship more than anything…and yet had let her go?

Why?

You loved her.

Yes. James finally surrendered. Yes….I loved her.

James blinked and lowered his eyes. Remus' grip on his arm loosened.

Sirius looked at his friends, feeling as if the storm was beginning to pass. A frown crossed his brow. If the storm was over, then why was an uneasy feeling creeping up his arms, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up? He stepped closer to them. "James." He said finally. James glanced at him, wordlessly. "Why did you leave her?" Sirius asked, half waiting for James to ignore him, or Remus to hit James again.

James was still, thoughts flashing through his mind as they had been since the hours ago when he'd left Lily. The blond haired man. The men with him, big and burly. His captain who wanted the a key. The Key. Riddle.

"It wasn't safe to be on the ship." James said slowly. And she needed to be safe, he added silently. She had to be, I may be a fool but I knew that.

"Why?" Sirius asked, watching James steadily. It wasn't as if they were a helpless group. Why would James think Lily wasn't safe? Besides the fact that she was on a pirate ship…she'd survived on one for six months, how was now any different?

James took a breath. "He was in port." He said slowly.

"Who?" Remus asked slowly, his calm demeanor setting back in, though his voice still wavered, a mistrust at its edge.

"Riddle."

A silence fell on the room. James watched his friends. He saw Sirius' eyes slowly widen and blink at him as if he didn't believe. Remus was staring at him, his mouth tightening.

"I saw one of his men there. He said something about his captain wanting a key." James went on, his voice monotone, carefully keeping his eyes on Remus and Sirius. "He knew who I was…"

"He…was in port?" Sirius repeated slowly.

James nodded.

"You…you saw him?"

"No." James said. "Even Riddle isn't daring enough to walk through a port swarming with English soldiers." Sirius blinked at the familiar words as a comprehending look crossed his eyes.

"You left her in a port with Riddle?" Remus' voice was again ice.

James stomach sunk and he waited for the punch, but it didn't come. Remus seemed beyond words.

"You left her in….how is that safe?!" Sirius burst out, the temper that he had kept in check the past few moments revealed itself. "How is that safer than here?!"

James shrugged off Remus' hand and turned fully to face them. "If Riddle's crew came up to me…then they told him. Riddle has waited two years." He went on, glancing at them each in turn. "How much longer is he going to wait?" James left the question hanging in the cabin.

"Well this is wonderful!" Sirius said sarcastically. He threw up his hands and walked away a few feet before turning back to them. "Anything else you forgot to mention?"

James averted his eyes. Wordlessly, half afraid Sirius would be the next one to punch him, James shook his head. Sirius turned away frustrated and muttering to himself.

Remus was still silent, staring at James as though he'd never seen him before. James felt guilt burning his stomach. "Remus…."

The door burst open behind them and the three men turned as one. A pirate stood breathless at the door. "Captain…there's a ship-"

James didn't hear the rest of the sentence as he tore out of the cabin, followed closely by Remus and Sirius. He all but flew up the steps to the landing and fell against the far railing, his hands catching on the side as he looked out behind the ship.

The mist wasn't thick enough to obscure James' vision. He could see the dark ship looming toward them, moving quicker and closer than it ever had before. James stiffened and his eyes hardened as he looked out over the sea.

Remus stopped short next to James, his eyes finding the visible ship that was bearing down on them. Sirius paused at James' shoulder and felt his body shake.

"Riddle." Sirius breathed loud enough for everyone on the landing to hear. The other pirates turned and gave a scared look across the water.

Sirius turned to Remus. "What are we going to do? He's here! He's-" A cannon shot echoed across the sea, rocking the boat as it whizzed by. Sirius balked. "He's firing cannons at us! He's firing the bloody cannons at us!!"

Remus turned to look at the men, who were all frozen along the rail. "We need to give full sail to get the most speed. If he's on our wind we-"

"No."

Remus stopped, looking first at Sirius, who seemed just as surprised, to James, whose back was turned to them. James straightened suddenly, still staring out at the sea.

"No." He repeated, turning to look at them and Sirius felt the urge to step back at the blaze behind his friends hazel eyes. "I am not running away anymore." James said, his voice carried across the deck to the whole of the crew. The calm certainty of it sent shivers running down Sirius' skin. "I am sick." James went on slowly, giving them each a hard look. "And tired of running away from him."

The crew cast glances at each other. However, Sirius noticed that there was a respect behind the fear in the glances.

He looked hard at Sirius and Remus. "I am _not_ going to run away."

Remus looked at him for a moment, his anger at James put aside as his common sense and his pirate sense fought an internal battle. It wasn't really a fair fight, Remus realized, as a small smile came across his lips. Slowly he nodded.

Sirius saw Remus' nod and James sure look. He noted the faces of the pirates around him. None objecting, all set and ready to fight. For themselves. For their captain. Maybe even for honor, who knew. Sirius smiled wide and James turned back to the crew.

"All hands on deck! Gather weapons and ready the cannons! Keep the sail full, any time we can buy we'll need. To your stations and be at the ready!" James barked, taking in how the men immediately scrambled away. He smiled slowly, then glanced over his shoulder at the ship one more time. So close…

James shook his head and pushed past some of his men as he went down the steps and back to his cabin. Remus and Sirius followed at his heels.

James went immediately to his desk and pulled out the drawer with the papers. He rummaged through and pulled one out, then stepped to the middle of the cabin, stopping in front of Remus and Sirius.

"Here." He handed it to them. They exchanged confused looks, then Sirius reached out and took the paper. He opened it up and scanned it over, his eyes widening. With a surprised look on his face he looked up at James.

"This is… our contract." He said slowly. James nodded slowly. Sirius shook his head. "Why? What do you-"

"I don't want you to fight Riddle because you have to." James said slowly. "I don't want you to be on this ship because a slip of paper says you do-"

"Kind of late for jumping ship, mate." Sirius interjected.

James smiled weakly. "I don't want you to fight by my side because you signed your name to a piece of paper and cut your finger." He went on. Looking at them each in turn with a unsure look in his eyes, James swallowed.

Remus took the contract from a still stunned Sirius and looked it over. "_To fight side by side._" He read slowly. "_To share pillage and plunder. To never run but to always stand and fight, no matter what the cost. To live as friends, and die together as brothers. Signed James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin."_ Remus shook his head, a soft chuckle in the base of his throat. He looked up at James with a sympathetic look. "Do you really think we stayed on this ship, that we'd stay to fight Riddle because of a contract?" James looked back at him with a bemused expression and Remus raised his eyebrows, if only a little mockingly. "James, it was, and never will be, about a piece of paper. We're pirates, do you think a piece of paper can tie us to do something we wouldn't want?"

James stared at him for a moment. It was so farfetched…sure they'd grown up together…but a contract…that was certain, everything else just…wasn't…

"James." Sirius said calmly, finally smiling. "We're on your ship because you're our friend. We'll fight Riddle because we don't want you to have to stand alone. And we'll die with you because we wouldn't want to die anywhere else." James blinked at him and Sirius smirked. "I may be a pirate…but I've still got honor…at least in the important things."

"B-but….a contract…" James stuttered for a moment.

"You put too much faith in those contracts." Sirius said with a laugh behind his voice, a humor that felt out of place. "Everyone on this ship is here because of a contract but"-he said eyeing James-"they didn't stay because of one."

Lily did, James thought in the back of his mind. I thought you would've, too. As the thought crossed his mind he immediately felt foolish. Sirius and Remus had always been at his side; before they'd even signed the contract. That slip of paper really didn't matter as much as he'd once thought.

"It's yours now." James said finally.

Sirius raised an eye and looked at the paper in Remus' hands. "What do you want us to do with it?" He asked his captain.

James shrugged a shoulder.

Remus exchanged a look with Sirius and ripped the paper down the middle. He handed the two sheets to Sirius who promptly ripped it numerous more times, letting the ripped pieces float to the ground around their feet.

Sirius smiled for a moment, then looked at James, who gave him a wane smiled, then turned to look out the open window. He could see the ship coming across the mist and felt the waves begin to rock his ship harder with each cannon ball that hit the water. James let out a long breath. "He got too close." he said slowly, so faintly it was a wonder Sirius heard him at all. "He got too close without us realizing it…"

Sirius started. It sounded like the voice of a dead man…or one who shortly would be. "It wasn't your fault." Sirius said. "Well not entirely. I mean you didn't know that we were going to find the Key on this ship and you weren't the one who sold us out to Riddle." Sirius went on, glancing at Remus for agreement, but the second mate was also looking out the window. "I mean it's none of our faults, its just cruel fate really. We could've stolen a different ship…we could've picked a different port…Peter could actually do his job and look out for the ships…we could've run inland…"

James felt like time stopped, as his mind registered everything much too late. He turned so suddenly that Sirius cut off. "What did you say?" James asked, slightly breathless. Remus looked at him sharply.

"I…uh…." Sirius stumbled. "I said we could have run…inland?"

James shook his head. "Before that!"

"Oh…um…"Sirius thought for a moment then brightened. "Peter could actually do his job…I mean his job is to look out for ship-what?" He exclaimed as James gawked at him.

"You're right." James said slowly. "It's his job." He looked between them. "It's only _his_ job. He's the one we put our trust in to let us know about ships. If he doesn't say anything we find out too late."

"True." Remus agreed, looking wary. "He should've warned us sooner…but the mist-"

"Isn't that thick." James broke in. "Not enough for him not to see it. And I'm not just talking about this time. What about every other time Riddle's ship has been on the horizon? Peter has never been the one to tell us…" James said, walking back and forth, shaking his head in wonderment.

The frown creased Remus' forehead.

Sirius shook his head. "What are you saying? That Peter hasn't been telling us a ship is coming? For what purpose?"

James stopped and looked at them, smiling a sickened smile. "He's the spy…the rat. It's Peter."

Remus felt as if his heart skipped at least three beats as he took in what James had said. Sirius stared at him, dumbfounded. "Peter?" Sirius asked. "He's not that smart."

"Smart enough to fool us for the past two years." James bit back.

"How?! I mean Peter is a water-spined coward…he doesn't even know about the Key." He looked at each of them. "Did you two forget that?"

Remus slowly shook his head as a numbing realization dawned on him. "Do you remember when we stole the ship…Peter and Cook were both on it."

"So?" Sirius asked.

But James knew what Remus was getting at, as he again began pacing. He remembered how they had gotten out to sea and the three of them had come into the cabin. It was then that they'd made the contract, signed their names and cut their fingers. Afterwards he had gone to set the contract aside and pulled out one of the drawers to the desk. The drawer had broken when coming out and as he'd tried to fix it he'd found that it had a secret compartment, it was an old pirate ship after all, wherein lay a piece of gold. The Key. James had known what it was, he'd heard stories before and the three of them had agreed that they'd go looking for it. Not only that, but they would keep the fact that they had such a key a secret, just in case.

Since then the only logical explanation was that Remus or Sirius or James himself had told Riddle. They were the only ones in the cabin, the only ones who'd seen the key, of course. It was that simple.

But we'd forgotten, James thought numbly. Forgotten that Peter had come in shortly after their finding of the key. He'd never thought anything of it before, but the Key had been in plain sight at that moment. And the door to the cabin had been wide open. They had been so pitifully naïve. When it came down to it…they had not been the only three who knew…there had always been a fourth…

Peter knew about the Key, James thought angrily, his teeth gritting as his steps fell harder on the floor. Maybe he only saw a glimpse, but he saw it. And we forgot…

Sirius was gaping at Remus. "He knew? But….but how…" He fumbled for the words and finally shook his head. "Okay, so what if he knew. He never talked to Riddle…if he never saw Riddle than he wouldn't have-"

James brow furrowed as he paused in his stalking. "Peter was in port when Marcus was killed." James interrupted. "He went in the port with him…he was the one who came and brought me…"

Remus' eyes were overly bright. "He was alone with Riddle. Who knows what he told him, just to not end up like Marcus…"

"So…to save his skin…Peter sold us out to Riddle…is that what you two are saying?" Sirius asked.

Remus ground his teeth with a wolf-like look across his features. "Every time we go into port he disappears to some dark and gloomy pub…to meet with Riddle or his crew….he's been giving them information about us…about the Key…for the past two years!"

Sirius' eyes narrowed and a growl came from behind his clenched teeth, as anger began to light in his eyes. "Dirty rat." Sirius growled under his breath.

James' jaw tightened. How could they have been so-James paused. "Peter was with me last night…" He breathed, his stomach that had already dropped fell even further. The men…they'd met him shortly after he'd left Lily. They'd gotten in the small boat and gone to the ship. How many in the boat? Six…no five….seven? He didn't remember. He hadn't counted…hadn't thought….

"Check the ship." James said suddenly. Sirius and Remus looked at him as he turned to face them fully. "Peter didn't come back last night." He said it with a savage certainty. "He stayed there…he's on Riddle's ship…it was a signal…he's on the other ship…when they attack us…." James broke off. "Go find him!" He barked. Without even a questioning remark the two men turned and left the room with remarkable speed.

James turned and stared out the window again, the dark ship was even closer. With a hard swallow he snatched up his sword and belt, putting it around his waist, then checked his dagger, all the while keeping his eyes on the horizon.

The time had come. James stood still, his shoulders braced and his heart beating with a steadiness that was almost unusual. Fear wasn't creeping up his arms as it always did in his nightmares, there wasn't that feeling of death shadowing him, as though it was eminent…which in reality it was. Still, there was no shake in his hands, but a calm certainty and an almost smile graced the corner of his lips.

It wasn't like there was anything left to lose.

James turned from the window and walked swiftly from the room, letting to door click softly behind him. Staring out across the deck he saw the men running to each station, letting loose the sails and tying down the ropes. Each man wore at least one sword, a gun sticking out of his belt and a dagger most likely hidden somewhere. James looked up toward the crows nest for a brief moment. He wasn't surprised when Sirius came running up to him with an ashen face.

"He's not here." Sirius gasped out. "He's nowhere…I don't know where-"

"I do." James turned and headed up the landing, nodding toward the black ship that was gaining on them by the minute. "He's there." James barely winced as a cannon shot echoed across the water.

Sirius' eyes smoldered. "I'll kill him."

James, startled, looked at his friend. "What-"  
"You focus on Riddle." Sirius said calmly, turning to look at James. "I'll worry about Peter." It half sounded like he was asking permission, though James knew even if he didn't give it Sirius would still kill Peter. But it also sounded like a promise. James slowly nodded his head then looked back to the black ship.

James barely heard Remus come up to stand on his other side. He glanced at him and Remus looked back, giving him a small, encouraging smile, the previous anger had melted from his eyes. This is it, James thought slowly.

The three of them were silent, watching the choppy sea, the dark clouds hovering in the sky. All the while James' mind was racing, until he smirked and nodded to himself. He turned suddenly and went to the wheel. The pirate there moved aside as James grasped it in his own palms.

"James…what are you doing?" Sirius asked, following him.

James grinned almost cockily, a light breeze ruffled the bangs on his forehead. "I say the hunted becomes the hunter." He whirled the wheel and the sails swung on their riggings. Shouts rang from the deck as the men scrambled to their posts. And _the Marauder_ spun away from its course to about face.

"You're crazy!" Remus hollered. The two ships now faced one another across the sea.

"Most definitely." Sirius grinned back. He went to the edge of the landing. "Cannons ready men! Fire when we hit their broad side."

James' eyes burned as the choppy waves smashed into the bow of the boat and the sails flapped from their riggings. _The Marauder_ sped like a dolphin through the water, the waves barely glancing her sides as she pursued her pursuers. As the ships met along the sea, James jerked the wheel, the sides of the ships almost scraping together.

"Fire!" James, Remus, and Sirius yelled in unison.

Plumes of smoke burst from the two ships. James felt the ship shake underneath him. He heard the men yelling and the shots echoing as the two ships circled each other, kicking up the mist along the water.

Smoke rose around him and the yells increased. The ships shuddered and groaned, so close James felt he could've jumped across the two easily.

"Fire!" Sirius' unmistakable voice rang out again. The shots canceled each other out and then James heard the cracking. He saw the railing splintering and wood flying across the deck. Thinking quickly he grabbed a rope and tied the wheel securely, keeping the ship to its course. He went to the steps of the landing, glancing toward the other ship and seeing the smoke increase as the cannons fired.

A cannon ball whizzed so close James thought he could feel it whisper in his ear. It crashed into the deck, sending the wood splintering. James ducked and fell out of the way, feeling the stairs stab into his back as he caught his arm on the railing. He rose up slightly and cast his eyes around the deck. Smoke clouded his vision and his ears blocked off the noise so all he knew was the vibrations and the smoke.

"Sirius!" He hollered, seconds before another cannon ball tore into the deck. The force of it sent him flying and he felt wood slam into him as he fell to the main deck, his vision turning black.

Silence surrounded him as the darkness faded to gray behind his eyelids. James groaned and tried to move his face, feeling it pressed against the deck.

"James…" It was a soft, pleading whisper.

James ground his teeth and forced his eyes to open. His vision swam and he groaned as he pushed himself up on his knees. He noticed Sirius near him, crouching down, Remus stood off to the side, staring at something behind him.

James' eyes swept the deck. Men were standing around, swaying. Others were trying to get up and some…some wouldn't ever get up. Debris littered the deck. But the smoke had settled and there was no sound.

No sound at all.

James turned painfully and looked across the deck to the other ship. Boarding planks had been placed and the crew came across it, out of reach of the waves. James felt his own crew bunch, and heard the sound of people gripping their weapons. He forced himself to his feet, feeling Sirius and Remus shift slightly behind him. He shoulders were stiff and he thought he could feel a trickle of blood on his cheek. But the thought disappeared from his mind, along with any other sane thought, as he noticed the man crossing the area between the ships. _The Serpent_'s crew parted for him, then filled in behind him, following the man's steps as he came and stopped part way into the deck, a few feet from James.

The man was taller than James, wearing a black shirt and pants as well as a long dark coat. A sword hung at his side and a gun peaked out from his belt. His fingers were long and pale, as was the rest of his skin, a striking contrast to his dark clothing. His head was bald but for a faded green tattoo of a snake that ran from the right edge of his forehead, behind his ear and down the side of his neck. His eyes were dark. Cold bottomless pits that glinted red as they looked back at James. His thin lips pulled back to reveal white almost animal-like teeth. James gritted his teeth and shifted on his feet as he stared back into Tom Riddle's endless eyes.

A smirk pulled across Riddle's lips, a smug look on his face. "Captain Potter." The voice sent a cold shiver across James' skin. It was a cold hiss, icy and foreboding. And very, _very_ confident. "I thank you that you've been so…accommodating."

Laughter rang from Riddle's crew but James stood still, watching the other captain with a stone look on his face. Over Riddle's shoulder James could see a lean, blond haired man, standing next to the two larger men and the man named Avery. James' eyes narrowed slightly.

Riddle smirked again. "It has been awhile. I'm afraid we have a lot to catch up on." His lip curled. "Nothing to say, Captain? That is quite rude."

James let out a breath. "I'd say it was a pleasure seeing you again, but lying would also be rude." He replied with a cold edge.

Sirius smirked slightly, Remus felt torn between wanting to chuckle and roll his eyes. Neither seemed all that desirable given the situation.

Riddle's eyes narrowed slightly. "Cheek." He spat the word out, along with saliva that landed very close to James' boot. James kept his face expressionless. "Such a loose tongue is not a commending feature."

"Nor is pirating, but that seems to be a moot point given the company." James replied in a much calmer voice than he felt.

Remus shot him a look, as if wanting to know if he had a death sentence or was just a fool.

Riddle glared at him, a look of such coldness that James could feel it freeze his feet to the deck where he stood. His hands gripped into fists as Riddle stepped up closer, eyeing him up and down. "It seems, Captain Potter, that you haven't been keeping up with your ship." He glanced at the debris lying around the deck. "Or yourself." Riddle was suddenly very close, so close that James could feel the breath stinging his face. Slowly, reaching up with one long finger, Riddle touched James' cheek. James flinched slightly, trying not to shy away completely. He felt the cold finger press against his face and draw back to show a finger red with his own blood. Riddle slowly smirked and reached over to wipe his finger on James' shoulder. James stiffened as Riddle's crew laughed behind their captain. Riddle sent James a look full of sinister humor before turning and walking back toward his crew.

He thinks so little about me that he doesn't even fear turning his back on me, James thought with a cold bitterness.

"I see that your hospitable nature is slowly waning." Riddle turned, his dark coat settling around him. "I won't keep you too much longer."

Alive much longer is what you mean, James added silently.

"You see for years now I have been in search of a treasure of incredible magnitude. Perhaps you have heard the story of Captain Ribbs and his treasure?" Riddle inquired, almost half-heartedly.

James' eyes flickered slightly and Riddle smiled a thin smile. "Yes I thought so." Riddle contemplated, walking along in front of his crew as if deep in thought. James stood still, his eyes following Riddle's movement, until a flicker of movement caused his gaze to change.

A man from Riddle's crew shifted slightly so that he was in James' line of vision, and James' eyes narrowed. Large body, blond hair, and beady eyes….eyes like the rat he was, hungry and sneaky….

James heard a growl from behind him and knew it was Sirius. Remus' body stiffened visibly and he kept his eyes trained on Peter, noticing how the man twitched as if hearing the growl and feeling the eyes fixed on him.

"And recently, actually two years ago, I came across some information about the said treasure. And the key needed to get it." Riddle continued, stopping his walk and glancing down at James. "And strangely…that information led to you."When James didn't respond Riddle smirked even wider. "Actually, this is the part where you come in, _Captain_. The information, said that you had the Key. _My_ Key."

James kept his eyes trained over Riddle's shoulder, on Peter. The man was hidden slightly behind two others, but still visible. Visible squirming and twitching as if he was nervous. He should be, James thought with a touch of satisfaction.

"And so, I have come, to collect that key."

Silence reigned over the deck. It was only for a single moment, but it stretched on forever. James' men stared, their eyes fearful of Riddle, but also hard with determination. If there was to be a fight, they would fight. Sirius and Remus tensed behind James, knowing that all Riddle would need to do was look beneath James' collar, and they would all be dead. Riddle's crew stood, leaning forward, eagerly, greedily. Except for one man, who shunned away from the hard eyes of his old crew. James' eyes were bright with certainty.

"A key." He repeated slowly.

Riddle looked bored. "Yes, Captain Potter. A key. A gold medallion that is the Key to the greatest pirate treasure."

"A key."

Riddle frowned at him, something in James' voice making his eyes narrow. "Yes." He repeated.

"A key…"

"Yes!" James' eyes shot upward and Riddle turned, irritated. Peter was at the front of the crowd now, his outburst having brought him into the eyesight of the very people he'd betrayed. "A key. _The_ Key!"

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "Peter." His voice was a cold whip and Peter's eyes shot toward him. "Riddle really did scrap the bottom of the barrel." The words cut through the air as Sirius sent a look of pure undeniable hatred toward Peter who glowered in response, then looked at James.

"Give it to him." Peter ordered, his voice sounded confident, though his eyes gave him away.

James glared mercilessly at him. "Don't think, _Pettigrew_, that selling me out, being on Riddles' crew, makes you _good_ enough to order _me_." James told him, his voice as cold as Sirius'.

"Silence!" Riddle snapped, his eyes glowed for a moment and Peter stumbled back a step, his eyes widening. "Give me my Key." He demanded again, his rage turning toward James.

James looked at him steadily, then blinked. "I don't have any key."

Remus' brows shot together, and Sirius felt his stomach twist uncomfortably. How would lying to Riddle make things any better?

Peter gaped at him, his jaw dropping visibly. "You don't have-"

"Mr. Potter this is no time to let your loose tongue get you into trouble." Riddle told him, his voice was rough and irritated. "Now, give me my Key."

Hazel eyes were hard as they looked back at the pirate who stood a head over him, then the gaze shifted, holding the eyes of the ex-lookout. "I don't have any key."

The response was unexpected. James knew Riddle had temper, knew he was ruthless. But it had always seemed it would be a cold, calculated ruthless. The Riddle that looked at him now was like an animal denied what it craved most. Riddle's hands gripped James' shirt and jerked him painfully close, causing James to wince, and barely hold back noise as a cold hand fixed itself around his throat. In a reflex, James grabbed onto Riddle's arms, his own grasp tight. His eyes held steady even as a paleness began to creep into his cheeks.

Sirius made a noise and lunged forward, only to be caught around the shoulders by Remus.

"Let me go!" Sirius bit out, softly enough to only be heard by Remus.

Remus grunted slightly, holding onto Sirius as he struggled toward James and Riddle. "Sirius don't do anything stupid!"

James' crew shifted forward a step, faces apprehensive. Riddle's crew mirrored the movement, twitching with eagerness for the fight to come.

James bit the inside of his mouth, looking up at Riddle. "I don't have the patience." Riddle told him softly, the cold breath burning James' face. "Nor the time to play your childish games, Potter." The hand tightened and James choked. "Now, give me my key."

James was silent, focusing only on getting the breath. Sirius pulled against Remus, who held him still, eyes boring into Riddle.

"Captain-" one of _the Maruader_'s men began.

"Silence!" Riddle roared and Remus jerked his arms involuntarily, causing Sirius to yelp and send him a glare.

Damn it, James, Remus thought angrily.

"I don't….have…any…key…" James gasped out.

"He's lying!" Peter shouted. Riddle turned his glare to him, and Peter shifted uncomfortably. "He always has it with him…he wouldn't let that thing out of his sight…" His voice faded off under Riddle's glare and he ducked his head.

Riddle's head snapped back to James, glaring at him. His eyes lowered for a moment to James' shirt, nearly buttoned all the way to his throat. The faint light caught on what rested on James' neck, hidden just under the fabric, and a realization glowed Riddle's eyes.. "Where would you hide a key…if you didn't want it out of your sight, but not in anyone else's?"

He dropped the hand that had held James' throat and James felt a gasp rack his lungs. His hand grabbed the front of James' shirt and both Remus and Sirius tensed.

_This was it…._

Riddle ripped open the shirt before James could react and move away…

_Now it didn't matter, no lie mattered…_

Nothing.

Sirius froze in Remus' grasp and stared with an open mouth at James. The shirt was ripped open and you could clearly see James' skin and muscle. The gold chain hung limply around his neck. But no Key.

No Key?

Remus' hands loosened around Sirius and he stared. No Key… that wasn't possible…James always had….

James blinked, and looked down at the gold chain, calmly slipping it off his neck and holding it out to Riddle, whose face was slowly contorting in anger. A very small smirk crossed James' face. "I guess you were mistaken."

Peter was gaping openly, and his chest was beginning to heave, his hands were shaking. What was going on…he always had the Key….always…..

Riddle's face was red. He'd been made to look a fool, and James stood there staring back confidently at him. That little…

His hand grabbed the front of James' shirt. "Where is my Key?" He demanded, venom in his voice.

James cocked an eyebrow, his lips curling. "I don't have any key. As you can see, not on me or otherwise. It seems your information was…mistaken." James glanced at Peter out of the corner of his eyes. The other man was squirming away from Riddle's crew, who were now staring at him like he'd betrayed _them_. Their eyes burned and James smirked wider.

A growl was in the base of Riddle's throat. Peter looked frantic. "Captain…Riddle…I swear he had….I saw….I told you…." He stumbled and squeaked in frustration. Riddle turned his deathly glare toward Peter.

"Be quiet." Riddle ordered. The spy fell silent and James wrenched himself away from Riddle, before the other captain turned his eyes back

"I don't have patience for your half-wittedness." Riddle told them in a deathly calm voice. "Tell me where my Key is."

James stood still. "James." Remus half whispered, his hand tightening on Sirius' arm. Sirius stared at James, who was still looking at Riddle with a mysterious satisfaction.

Riddle growled in anger and irritation. "You are trying my patience, Captain Potter. Where is my Key?"

James' eyes hardly wavered.

Peter shifted uncomfortably. A thin layer of sweat appeared on his brow, as he swallowed, looking between Riddle and James, who stood barely feet apart, waiting.

It was impossible. After all the planning…the spying…the lies….he had handed Riddle the knowledge, and now the knowledge was useless. He'd led the captain to the vessel…if anything happened it would be on his head…if the Key didn't turn up…it would be on his life…

Peter scrunched his face. It was impossible. He knew the Key was on the ship. It had to be. It _had_ to be.

"There is no key on this ship." James' voice was a final declaration, a death sentence for not only himself, but Peter also.

Peter swallowed and his hand fell to his belt, his hand wrapping around the butt of his gun, pulling it slowly out.

The hand at James' side brushed the hilt of his sword, sending adrenaline rushing through his body. Glowering Riddle reached toward the gun in his belt, and James gripped the hilt of his sword, determined to not let Riddle get out a shot.

An unknown gun cocked in the silence. Riddle started to turn, not yet gripping his own gun, and James grabbed at his sword as a figure went past him. James' eyes barely caught Peter lowering the barrel of the gun toward him before it blossomed.

James felt the bullet whip by his face as he dropped to the deck, turning his head as a human yell cut through the dying echo of the bullet. He saw Cook drop to the deck, holding his arm with one hand as blood seeped from beneath his fingers.

James whipped his head around as Riddle's crew rushed forward, matched by the same movement from James' crew. He caught sight of Sirius rolling on the ground with Peter. Sirius knocked the gun from the ex-lookout's hand, his fist connecting with Peter's face, sending them both sprawling across the deck.

James heard rather than saw Riddle, and barely had time to roll out of the way before Riddle's sword hit the deck where his back had been. James jumped to his feet, wrenching his sword forward, only to feel his arm vibrating with the expert motions of Riddles' blade. Riddle sent James into the stairs with a loud grunt that was drowned out by the clashing of metal and shots from pistols.

The two crews clashed along the deck, swords flailing and daggers flying, shots echoing through the mist that sped along the water's edge, circling the dueling boats like sharks waiting for the kill. Dark clouds spun overhead and James felt his back hit the stairs. He saw Riddle lunge and rolled out of the way, shoving his shoulder up against the rail. James heaved himself up with one arm as he parried Riddle's blade and stumbled backwards up the steps.

He refused to turn his back to Riddle, and felt his heel catch the last step as a result. Riddle's barrage of blade couldn't be stopped and James barely had time to swing away as his steps faltered. James arm was thrown out to catch himself and Riddle took the opportunity. His icy grip snatched James' shoulder and threw the captain across the landing. James skidded on the deck, feeling the wood tear at his shirt. He pushed himself up quickly and was immediately met with a steel blade.

James grunted and felt his sword pushed back towards him, he fumbled back a step and swung out of the way, attacking Riddle on his left, only to be met by a stiff defense. James tried to back away and get a breath, but Riddle turned from the defense to the attack so fast it was only a blink in James' eyes. He swallowed hard, his feet slipping on the deck. Biting the inside of his cheek as sweat fell across his brow, his muscles weakening as he tried to evade Riddle's blows.

He felt the rail connect with his side and grunted in pain as he steadied himself, only to be met with the Riddle again. A fist connected with his jaw and a cold hand grabbed his sword arm, twisting it away even as it locked with Riddle's sword. James threw his other arm forward and felt skin beneath his knuckles. Riddle stumbled away and James advanced on the stunned pirate forcing him back up against the wheel.

And so it continued. Back and forth along the landing, one getting the upper hand only to have it taken away a moment later. The swords met and broke, met and broke in a metal chorus.

Then it happened, one missed step and James felt the blade rip at his flesh. He scrambled back and had just enough time to look down at his bleeding forearm before Riddle attacked him again. The first blood had been drawn and James felt his body weaken at the wetness on his shirt.

--------------

Sirius threw his shoulder into Peter and the man went flying, stumbling over his own feet before he steadied himself, his sword stiff in his shaking grasp. Sirius' eyes were on fire as he glared at Peter.

"You sold us out." He said harshly, his voice spitting with rage. "You miserable rat!" Peter snarled in his own way. "You're a traitor, you pathetic piece of pirate filth!" Peter grew red and lunged at Sirius who easily caught the oncoming sword.

Sirius felt his muscles hum as he twisted his arm to parry the other man's angry slashes with the sword. Sirius snarled. A quick glance and he took in their position, up against the rail of the ship, Sirius could almost feel it at his back.

Peter lunged again suddenly and Sirius caught the sword above his head. He smirked down at Peter, but the smirk faltered as he felt a hot pain enter his side. Sirius made a strangled noise from the back of his throat and looked down, weakly noticing Peter's other hand holding a knife, the knife that had entered Sirius side.

That sneaky…cheating…

Sirius' knees buckled and he felt Peter unlock his sword as he fell to the floor, barely catching himself with his hand. His sword fell from his fingers and Sirius leaned on his elbow staring down at the wooden planks below him, feeling his knees turning to water under him as a painful breath racked his side.

A moan came from his lips as he felt his other hand subconsciously pull the knife from his side and he winced and felt tears prick his eyes at the pain. He rolled on his side and pressed the hand that had been supporting him against his side, feeling the wet blood on his cold fingers.

Peter stood over him, a triumphant smile across his face, his eyes alight with a renewing glare. Sirius saw Peter's feet shift as the other man repositioned his sword.

Peter held the sword level. "Better a living rat, than a dead dog." He snarled slashing his sword.

With every ounce of will he possessed, Sirius forced his knees to heave him upwards, moving out of the way of Peter's sword. His fist smashed into Peter's jaw. As the ex-lookout stumbled backward, Sirius' bloodstained fingers dropped, snatching up his sword. Peter turned back and Sirius drove his own weapon into Peter's abdomen. Surprise written all over the spy's face, Sirius grabbed his shirt, turning and sending Peter careening over the rail of the ship, into the blackening waters below.

The ripples in the water spread out until they settled against the hull of the ship. Leaning heavily on the rail, Sirius stared down at the water, his mouth dry as he swallowed hard, his eyes glazed in renewed pain as he pressed his hand against his side.

"Sirius!" The shout brought the first mate back into the fight. As he tried to turn, he felt his knees buckle under him. Sirius saw the member of Riddle's crew, blond hair and piercing eyes come at him. His own hand was empty and Sirius made a sound of helplessness.

The other pirate's blade never met Sirius' body. It was stopped by another blade and turned to another opponent. His sword was swung away and a punch sent him sprawling. The blond pirate rose and came at the mousy haired second mate with teeth bared, but he couldn't land a single blow, even as Remus twisted away from him and sent his own sword into the blond pirate's gut. The man crumpled at his feet and Remus rushed forward, catching Sirius under the arm before he could fall to the deck completely. Sirius gripped onto the sleeve of Remus' shirt.

"Thanks, mate."

Remus grunted with the effort it took to hold Sirius up. "You need to watch your back."

Sirius grinned in return. "That's what you're here for." The last was a gasp as his hand tightened on his side. Remus glanced down at the blood.

"Peter?"

Sirius shrugged a shoulder and gave Remus a look. "Lucky."

"Too lucky." Remus scoffed. "What happened to him?"

Sirius straightened up, his eyes level with his friends', and Remus nodded in perfect understanding.

-------------------

James yelped as his shoulder hit the rail and he twisted out of the way of the sword he sensed was coming. The sharp object hit the wood where moment before James' face had been, as the captain rolled up on his feet, his shoulder heaving. Small cuts littered his arms and one even ran along his cheekbone, his hands stung and he could feel the newest wound on his leg, just slightly deeper than the rest, burn with the feeling of pants cloth running against it.

But it wasn't life-threatening, not yet. He could see it in Riddle's eyes and face, in his movements. He was toying with him, _taunting _him like one would a child. A monster roared in James' chest but he soothed it, his icy glare meeting Riddle's.

He held all the cards, knew all the dice, and owned every bet on the table. He knew where the Key was. More importantly he knew that Lily was safe. All he could lose now was his life. James inwardly shrugged. It wasn't as if he hadn't been expecting that consequence for the past two years, no matter how long he'd run from it.

James gritted his teeth. Well he wasn't running anymore. And whatever Riddle was giving him, James was returning. He had made the fierce pirate bleed, not a lot, but enough to prove one thing.

Tom Riddle was human. And as a human, he could die as easily as James.

The sword, quick as the lightning, came toward him again. James sidestepped and caught the sword with his own, twisting his body and forcing the edge away from him.

"Why don't you give up, Potter? You can't win against me. I'm the Pirate King of all the Seven Seas." Riddle snarled at him.

James forced himself to tighten his muscles as they fought to fall back under the weight of Riddle's sword. "Kings are highly overrated." James told him nimbly as he pulled out of Riddle's grip, feigning to the left and lunging his sword to the right. Riddle caught it with a grunt and shoved James away. Stumbling, James fell back against the wheel, that creaked under his weight. James ducked away as Riddle came crashing towards him. James parried Riddle's sword and swung his to attack.

The swords stayed locked, to the left and right of each body, above and then sweeping below one met the other in a fierce dance. James vaguely registered the sounds of the battle below; screams and shouts, clashes of metal. But he only had time to think for a mere second before Riddle's swift sword cut through his thoughts.

James wrenched himself forward, catching Riddle's blade and forcing himself to shove into the other pirate with all his strength, it was getting him nowhere. Riddle was bigger, stronger, and probably had much more experience. Not to mention that fact that he seemed to really want to kill James. Not that James felt any different towards Riddle.

James swung away, his shoulders shaking as his muscles strained. Riddle came for him again, putting James on the defensive, evading blows and feeling his shoulder and back against the rail a dozen more times, barely managing to move out of the way in time to avoid Riddle's sword.

They were locked with swords when James heard it. Shouts coming from somewhere other than the deck, and cannon fire, not from his ship or Riddle's. He turned his head slightly and caught site of the sleek ship cutting through the mist and fog, smoke filtering from her sides as she forced the cannon fire on the two locked ships. It swung around, its side against _the Maruader_.

James smirked slightly. "I wouldn't think the King of Pirates would need another ship to help him." James turned a nasty gaze toward Riddle. "Least of all not to handle me!"

Something broke, Jame sensed it before he felt Riddle's sword twist against his. Before Riddle's elbow knocked James' head sideways, where the rest of his body followed. Before Riddle threw him against the rail, where James felt blood come from the split in his lip. Before Riddle grabbed his shirt and held him against the rail with a painful locked grip.

"I don't need anyone's help." Riddle hissed, his voice cold and merciless against James' face. "Not to deal with the likes of a bastard runt like you!" His sword cut through the air and a scream ripped through James' lips.

-------------------

Sirius' head whipped around and up when he heard the scream. It dug into his chest and pulled. He knew at that moment that something was terribly wrong. More wrong than the blood staining his whole right side, running into his pants. More wrong than the fact that he was still, somehow, standing on his own two feet fighting Riddle's crew with Remus. More wrong than the fact that an unidentified ship was swinging toward them with guns out and blazing.

His sword vibrated as he stopped one of the pirates blades and sent him sprawling into another. Sirius backed up until he felt his back against the mast, Remus fell against the mast, shoulder to shoulder with Sirius. Another cannon shot from the new ship shook the boat, but Sirius ignored it. Another ship was the least of his worries at that moment.

"Did you hear that?" Sirius said, gripping the ropes attached to the mast to keep himself from falling over. "That scream?" Remus grabbed an opposing pirate and kicked him away, throwing his knife into another one before responding.

"Yes."

Sirius glanced at him. "Do you think…you don't think…"

Remus' eyes quickly took in the group of pirates closing in on him and Sirius. Of course he didn't want to think anything like that...

Remus glanced at his friend. Sirius set his mouth, his eyes blazing. "If he's dead, I'm going to kill them all."

Remus looked at him. "What if he's alive?"

"I'm still going to kill them all."

Remus smirked at him and pulled out another knife, holding it in one hand with a sword in the other. Sirius straightened from the mast, gripping his sword tightly, his eyes narrowed at their enemies, who spooned around them, knives and swords already stained red. He reached down and pulled another sword from a dead pirate, readying it in his other hand. The two marauders stood shoulder to shoulder, faces set as the other pirates closed in.

-----------------

James slumped forward, his arm caught the rail, preventing him from landing on the deck. He felt the blood running though his clothes, sticking to his left shoulder. He tightened his hand around his sword, refusing to let it go. Gasping he heaved himself up, swaying slightly and barely registering Riddle slam against him again, swords locked and moving against one another with a sharp sound. James grunted, his face twisted as the swords fell back toward him, his left arm weakening. Thinking fast, he rolled with his shoulder, out of the way, detaching the swords and turning back as Riddle's shoulder shoved into him, sending him onto the deck.

With a grunt James shoved himself upwards, only rising to his knees until he was pushed back while his sword held Riddle's at bay. James forced his body upwards, ramming his shoulder into Riddle, feeling a stinging pain in his left shoulder, and releasing his locked sword. Riddle growled and attacked again, this time his sword moving with such force that James only barely managed to block it and fall towards the rail.

James' breath painfully departed his body, his sword clanged like a bell ringing defeat. His back hit the rail and Riddle shoved him up against it with such force that when he backed away slightly James fell towards him, unable to find any force behind his own sword. Riddle's free hand grabbed James' shirt and flung him to the side.

James smashed into the other rail gasping and feeling his sword slipping. He turned, right into Riddle's fist. His head whipping around, James stumbled and rolled on the deck, landing painfully on his red stained shoulder. His fingers felt the handle of the blade slip from his grip and roll across the landing. James struggled to get up and reach for his lost sword, panic in his chest. A heavy black boot landed on his outstretched hand, crushing it to the deck. James bent his head and bit his lip to keep from making any noise other than a low grunt of pain. The boot's toe came up and James felt it land a hard kick to his head, sending him sprawling into the rail, his back and the rail meeting with a sickening thumbing noise as James dropped his whole weight on the deck, his muscles surrendering.

His cheek was pressed against the deck, that was cool to his burning skin. His body protested each breath and James eyes fell shut as he gasped for air. It was over, his mind told him. There's no more sword and soon there would be no more James Potter.

But his body refused to obey his mind, or maybe it was his spirit refusing to quit. Whichever it was, James felt his hands moving under his shoulders, his muscles bunching, trying to push himself up from the deck.

A boot shoved his shoulder and James wavered sideways as he heard the rustle of cloth. Bending down close to him, Riddle reached around with his left hand grabbing a fistful of the front of James' shirt, pulling him off the ground and up to his face. James' head almost fell to his chest but James forced his swimming vision to sharpen, staring back into the pale face of Riddle.

Riddle's mouth tight, his black eyes bottomless. James saw the hunger of the monster staring at him from behind the black eyes and James twisted in Riddle's grip, but Riddle's cold hand jerked him closer. James felt the cool flat blade of Riddle's sword land on his shoulder, sliding up so that James could feel the sharp edge against his neck.

"I will ask you a final time." The cold hiss-like voice echoed in his ears. "Where is my key?"

James stared up at the cold deadly man who stood before him, the bringer of his nightmares and his fear. James heard the shouts and shots from what seemed like a faraway world, and smelled the gunpowder, and tasted the mist that had risen around the ships as if coating it in a royal mantel. His sword rested far out of his reach and death stared at him, asking a question with only one answer. James smirked and gave it,

"Go to hell."

And spat in Riddle's face.

Riddle roared with rage and threw James back. James felt the deck again and groaned, turning on one shoulder and looking up at Riddle, who stood over him, sword poised and eager. A trickle of blood dripped down from the fresh wound on James' head, and as the blood drop fell to the deck, James heard it echo back to him. Riddle thrust his sword forward-

"No!"

The single word caused James heart to stop and, surprisingly, caught Riddle's sword in midair. Both men stared at one another for a moment before turning their heads to the other side of the landing and James felt his heart suddenly start again, sending a warmth to his fingertips. His eyes lay on a figure standing on the landing, right at the steps, holding his sword defiantly in her hand, her emerald eyes flashing with a unleashed fire and her red hair catching around shoulders. The most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

His lips formed the word, though his voice refused to work.

"Lily."

Riddle straightened and looked at her as well. "What did you say?"

Lily jaw was clenched and a fury that James had seen directed at him time and again came into her face. "Don't you dare touch him."

Riddle looked as if he was fighting the urge to laugh at her or to become even more furious.

James gazed at Lily. The defiant look in her eyes was familiar. He'd seen it that first day, when she'd cried out to protect her father…when she'd stopped _him_.

"Lily-" James started before he felt a hard boot heel land on his chest, painfully holding him down on the deck and cutting off the rest of his words..

"I don't think you really have any say in that matter, do you?" Riddle said, icily.

Lily's eyes narrowed at him, her mouth tightening into a think line. The knuckles that held James' sword were white.

James stared at her. Something was different…wrong even. "Lily…" He tried. She looked at him, and behind the blaze in her eyes he saw something else, too faint to make out. "Get off the-"

The boot on his chest stopped his breath again and James looked up at Riddle. "You know this wench then?" James' face went white and his eyes burned. "How intriguing. Don't you know its bad luck to have a woman on board?"

"Bad luck to ask for a woman's wrath as well." Lily said, her voice cutting. Riddle looked at her sharply.

"Be quiet, girl." He snapped at her, and James saw Lily twitch. "Do you know who you are speaking to?"

"Tom Marvolo Riddle." Lily interrupted. She reached into her pocket slowly. "And I believe, you're looking for this." She pulled out her hand and held it up. Glinting gold even in the shadows the key was unmistakable behind her thin fingers.

Riddle's eyes grew wide. James stiffened, gaping at her.

"So…a girl." Riddle looked at him, sneering. "How, clever. Really I applaud you, Captain Potter. I would never have thought of such a thing. To hide the Key with a young girl."

James looked helplessly up at him, his heart was pounding too loud in his ears, the battle sounds were gone now, only the pounding and Riddle…and Lily…and that blasted Key.

He turned his head and looked at her. Her eyes were hard, her face was contorted in something…pain…betrayal…

Riddle toed his shoulder and then stepped off him, toward Lily. "Why don't you be a good girl and give me my key." He said slowly.

Lily backed up a step, toward the far rain on the landing, her eyes never leaving Riddle's. The hand that held the Key tightened.

Without Riddle to hold him down, James struggled to get up, barely managing to push himself up on his forearm, wincing as his shoulder protested. He grunted softly, grabbing the rail to hold him in a sitting position.

"Lily." He said. Riddle twitched slightly, but didn't look back at him. Lily's eyes flashed to his for a moment. "Don't….don't give it….please…" He begged.

"Silence, Potter." Riddle snarled, his eyes glinted at Lily. "Give me that key."

Lily raised her chin slightly and lowered the key, looking at it, then back at Riddle. She slowly held it out. Riddle's eyes glinted in greed and victory as he stepped closer to get it.

James' stomach dropped. "No…"

"If you want this key so much…" Lily said slowly as Riddle began to reach for it. "Then you can go drown for it!" She turned and her arm whipped forward, the Key flew from her fingers back over the railing.

"No!" Riddle yelled, shoving her out of the way as he jumped at the railing, as if he could catch the key.

But he couldn't.

The Key flew high in the air, a golden light in the darkness, until it dropped, through the mist and cannon smoke, into the dark waves of the ocean. It slowly sunk through the blackening waters, disappearing from their view.

James gaped, his jaw was slack and his heart had paused. Before he could begin to consider what Lily had done he saw Riddle's shoulders bunch. "Lily!" James yelled and the red-head turned to him. "Run!"

Lily whirled as a louder roar met her ears. She brought her sword up and barely caught Riddle's blade. Riddle's strength was so much more than James' and Lily felt her body and sword pressed back into the rail. She stared at him wide-eyed. The eyes of the pirate were red, glowing and his face was stark white, the muscles in his temples throbbing. "I'll make you pay for that…you filthy red-headed wench!" He threw her to the side and Lily fell. She barely managed to roll out of the way as Riddle's foot came at her, and she caught the blade again. She parried and jerked herself to her feet. She grunted and shoved against his sword, but it was unyielding. Lily wrenched herself free and tried to attack him, but soon she was forced to parry again, under the barrage of Riddle's blade.

With a grunt of pain James tightened his hold on the rail, with his good arm trying to pull himself to his feet. His left arm hung limply at his side and he groaned as it shifted. He managed to get his knees under him to push himself up on the rail, turning to see Lily and Riddle moving across the deck. Lily's face was pale and James could see the fear beginning to show in her eyes. She fell hard against the rail, but evaded Riddle's blow in time. James' breath quickened as he braced himself on the landing, his legs shaking. He reached down with his limp arm and with great effort pull the knife out of his boot. He passed it to his good hand and braced his legs against the rail to straighten.

Lily fell back, her sword meeting Riddle's blade inches from her face. Sweat made her grip on the sword falter and the sword cut towards her. She shifted and moved out of the way, but as she did she felt the blade tear at her cheek. Lily shied away and tentatively touched her cheek with a shaking hand.

It came back red.

Her eyes shot forward as Riddle attacked her again. Lily fell back, her feet stumbling on the deck as she tried to match Riddle's speed. But it was unmatchable, and the monster in Riddle's eyes had met and surpassed madness.

James felt a panic climb in his throat. He couldn't throw the knife without fear of hitting Lily. James reached behind him with his bleeding arm to clutch the rail and steady himself. Lily, he thought wildly, trying to keep his vision from swimming. His grip on the knife tightened.

Lily caught Riddle's sword above her head. He tore his own sword back away from hers, sending Lily off balance. She stumbled and Riddle pushed her into the rail. Her sword fell from her hands. Lily dove for the sword but Riddle grabbed her by the back of her hair, wrenching her to a standing position. Lily yelped and he yanked her head back, his sword at her throat.

"You should _beg_ for my mercy." He hissed at her. Lily's lips were silent and Riddle tightened his hold earning a painful sound. James felt something erupt in the pit of his stomach and he heaved himself forward. The knife flew through the air and the dark pirate jerked as the knife met his shoulder blades.

James rocked back on the balls of his feet. Lily's eyes widened in shock as Riddle's sword fell from her throat to clang on the deck.

But the pirate turned suddenly and Lily felt the hand on her shove her away. She hit the rail and fell on the deck. Horrified, she raised her eyes and saw Riddle turn to James. James took a shaky step back, his eyes wide. Riddle punched him and James fell. He turned, edging backward, his back hitting the rail as he looked up at the looming figure.

James felt his heart pound as Riddle looked at him. "A plain dagger…pathetic…" Riddle's voice was hoarse and faraway. James tried to sit up, but his weak arm finally gave out and he fell further on the deck.

James' world turned to ice as he fell into Riddle's darkening eyes. Lily saw James' shoulder drop with defeat as Riddle stepped towards him, reaching into his belt and pulling out the gun. Her fingers reached out and brushing the hilt of the fallen sword.

Riddle trained the gun on James and smirked. His aim wavered slightly, the knife in his shoulder inhibiting him. "Pathetic. You're not even worth this bullet." Riddle told him, cocking the gun. James' vision blurred and he sagged against the rail.

Lily tightened her grip, lunging upwards and striking.

A shot rang out, whizzing by James' face.

And then a yell.

James' vision cleared and he stared with a drying mouth at Lily's hands wrapped around the hilt of the sword that was imbedded into Riddle's side. Riddle tried to turn and Lily fell away to the side. James watched as the gun fell from Riddle's hands as he tried to turn and grip the sword. The dark pirate tried to move towards Lily, but his legs gave way and he crumpled, hitting the deck and rolling over, dead eyes stared up for eternity at the sky.

The silent moments stretched on as James stared at the body. His mouth was slack and his body frozen in place, half waiting for Riddle to move again.

But Riddle didn't move. James blinked. His heart could be heard returning to normal, steadily pounding relief through his body, though his muscles remained tense.

He let out a painful breath, wincing as his body reminded him of its wounds. Glancing down he noticed his left sleeve being slowly dyed in blood. James ignored it for the moment, turning his eyes from the dead pirate to Lily.

She had sat herself up against the rail opposite of him, huddled against it and staring with blank eyes at Riddle's corpse. She was still, her legs folded under her and her hands clenched in fists in the material of her pants.

James slowly rose to his feet, gripping the rail and then tentatively stepping around Riddle's body, his legs shaking and threatening to give out. He averted his eyes from the blood beginning to stain the deck and came to Lily. He held onto the rail and looked down at her. "Lily?" He asked slowly. She didn't respond, in fact she didn't even look at him. Her head was still positioned down, away from him.

"Lily?" He repeated, dropping painfully down on his knees in front of her. He peered at her. "Lily?" He tried again. He reached over and tried to touch her cheek were a red line ran, a drop of blood falling down. "Are you-"

_Smack._

James gaped, his cheek was burning and steadily growing redder. He stared at her with a shocked look. Her eyes looked back at him with a fiery look of hatred.

"Don't you even think about it, James Potter." She yelled at him.

"Think about….what are…what?!" He yelped. "What was that for?!"

"That was for abandoning me in port!" She barked at him. James shifted and Lily's eyes flashed. "And this is for leaving me with _your_ key."

This time he saw her hand and caught her wrist, preventing it from impacting his face. "Stop it!" He barked at her. "I just saved your life-"

"Ha!" She glared at him. "_You _saved _me_? Did you forget you were about to be gutted by Riddle when I walked up!?" She demanded. James gaped at her choice of words and Lily glared at him.

"How dare you think that you could just leave me like that….to protect yourself from Riddle….to protect that stupid key!" She went on, her voice cracked.

The look on her face earlier reentered his mind. Pain. Betrayal.

_"You abandoned her…you lied to her…led her there on false hope…"_

_"I would never have thought of such a thing…to hide the Key with a girl…"_

She thinks I used her….that I abandoned her….I threw her trust away….again…..James thought hazily. His hand tightened on Lily's wrist and she growled, wrenching it out of his grasp.

"And you know what? If you want that Key so badly, _you_ can go drown for it to-umph!" James' lips crushed against hers and successfully stopped any further rant she'd planned.

Lily froze, her body tense, until her eyes slid shut and her body melted under the pressure on her lips. James pulled back slowly and Lily's eyes flickered open, her eyes catching his, which had darkened to a deep indigo. He reached up and ran his thumb along her bottom lip.

"You left me." She said simply, her lips tingled with the feeling of his thumb.

"To keep you safe." He told her, the truth evident in his voice. Lily stared at him for a moment then smacked him on his shoulder.

"Ow!" He yelped, shying away, his hand dropping and an offended look crossing his face. "What did you do that for?"

"What makes you think I need to be 'kept safe'?" Lily demanded. James studied her for a moment, seeing a flame burning behind her green eyes, but it was a much different flame than the previously angered one. And, if he wasn't mistaken, there was slight curl to her lips…

"Lily-" He tried to get out.

But Lily plowed on. "I mean what were you thinking…you left me with your key!! The key that he wanted! Where was the sense in-"

His hands shot forward and held her face, refusing to let her go. Lily stopped short, staring at him, her hands limp in her lap.

"You _need_ to be kept safe." He told her slowly.

Lily stared at him, her mouth dry. "But the key…you left…Riddle wanted it…" She rambled. James raised an eyebrow at her and then kissed her again, his fingers gently tracing her face. Lily squeaked and her hands grabbed the front of James' shirt as if to brace herself. James pulled back, leaning his forehead against hers, his breath warm against her still tingling lips.

"It was not, and never will be, about keeping a key safe." He told her. "Frankly I couldn't give a damn about that clump of gold." Lily opened her eyes and met hazel orbs that melted her heart, the warm, unsaid words reverberating in her ears.

The clouds above them began to slowly break, the rays of sunlight filtering through, coating the deck in a golden glow. The blackness in the sky ebbed away, replaced by a pale blue; the mist fading until it was barely a floating layer on the sea as James' lips touched Lily's.

The kiss was soft, and Lily saw colors bursting behind her eyelids. His lips enveloped hers and he slipped a hand behind her back, pulling her up against his chest as he deepened the kiss. Breath mingled between them and both could feel the others' heart pounding in their chests. Lily held the front of James' shirt in shaking hands, with fear that he would pull away.

Only when neither of their lungs could stand the lack of air any longer did James pull away. He looked down at Lily and smiled, a goofy grin that pulled back his bleeding lip from his teeth. A small smile graced her own face, causing Lily to wince at the cut on her cheek. James noticed, reaching up he slowly pressed the back of his fingers against the cheek, cold against the warm flush that pinkened her skin.

James stared at her for a moment, the blood in his head pounded with the increasing beat of his heart. His eyes softened, the hazel color lightening.

"Lily…I-"

James almost didn't hear the pound of feet on the deck that seemed to be getting closer. He tried to raise his head, but it was too late. Rough hands grabbed him and tore him away from Lily. She gasped and whoever had pulled James away tightened their iron grip on his arms, holding him down on the deck. James twisted in their grip, partly from surprise, and partly from the shooting pain that was running up his arm.

Out of the corner of his eye, James saw sailor uniforms, brushed blue and red. He noticed that Lily wasn't being held as he was, even though one of the other men was preventing her from coming over. Lily yelled at the man, but he still refused to move, going as far as to grab her arm and hold her still. James growled in his throat and tried to get up, only to be shoved back to the unyielding deck. There were yells around him and James felt his arms twist behind his back and be shackled together, accompanied by a shout from him. He was wrenched to his feet and saw another man bending to look at Riddle.

As he looked at the men and their brushed attire realization dawned in his brain, which had long been falling apart under the stress of the day. They were not sailors, they were soldiers. British soldiers of the King.

"Well, Captain Potter, it seems that this time it is you who is being held against your will." A voice said calmly.

With a sinking stomach, James forced himself to look away from Lily, who had also frozen, to meet the eyes of a very smug, and not at all sea sick, Duke Evans.

"Though I assure you, no contract will _ever_ allow you to escape your fate."

* * *

Just to clarify if anyone's confused: Sirius ran forward and knocked Peter and the gun, which caused the bullet to not hit James but to hit Cook :) 

Please review and tell me what you think-there will only be one more chapter after this one so please please review:) Thanks so much!


	20. At the Beginning

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its related characters. I do own the storyline and anyone you do not recognize.**

I know it took a long time, but I have very valid reasons for it being so, though I will not go into it right now. Still, after months of working on it this chapter is finally what I want it to be, and now I present it to you so, without any further ado : the last chapter of Wind and Waves.

* * *

Chapter 20 - At the Beginning

James felt his legs buckle, the only thing that kept his weak limbs from sending him crashing to the deck was the painful grip of the two soldiers. His left arm was a steady throb, wrenched painfully behind his back and held there by cold, iron shackles.

His whole body seemed to sway as his mind reeled. The other ship he thought numbly, swallowing away the sudden bitter taste in his mouth, the lone ship that had appeared near the end of the fight. It had been a ship of the English Navy.

And Lily had come just after the ship had arrived.

James glanced fleetingly at Lily, who seemed to have forgotten the soldier holding her arm as she stared at James, and then her father. Horrified and unsure, but not surprised. She had been on her father's ship, that much James was sure of. How else would she have gotten back to _the Marauder_?

However, from the look on Lily's face, it didn't seem as if she had been aware of what would happen once the Duke and James met for the second time.

James' gaze passed from Lily back to the Duke, whose eyes were hard, focused solely on James, and whose face lacked any of the paleness of seasickness.

James twisted his hands in the shackles, feeling his wrists burn from the rough motion. He hadn't bargained on this when he'd left Lily. In truth he hadn't had a full plan ready to be put in motion when the time came. He had assumed that Riddle would follow him out of port, that they would fight, and that he would fall at Riddle's sword. He had banked on the fact that the family from the Inn would watch over Lily, that he would be long gone before Lily left the Inn, and had made the biggest assumption of all: that the Duke would abide by a contract set up by a pirate.

But he had been a fool, and nothing had been as he assumed. Riddle had followed and fought him, but because of Lily, James had survived. Yet in that success his other assumptions crumbled to dust. Lily had only been there to save him because her father had broken the contract months ago, it was the only way he would've found Lily the same night James had left her, and be standing in front of James at that moment. As Sirius had said, what sort of father would surrender his daughter because of a slip of paper?

So now James stood, facing a man whom he had deprived of daughter, gold, and dignity, with no plan to speak of and left dry of assumptions.

He took a breath, straightening as he eyed the Duke, and willing himself not to flinch as his body shifted. James' jaw tightened as he stared levelly back into the Duke's face; he'd be damned if he was going to just sink to his knees, like a weak puppy.

"James Potter." The Duke's voice, unlike Riddle's that had cut like ice, stung like fire. "You have no idea the satisfaction I feel of seeing you in chains." Out of the corner of his eyes James saw Lily's shocked face flinch at her father's words. I'd wager he doesn't realize she's here, James thought to himself. Not once had the Duke turned in her direction, and the soldier held her arms as if she too was a prisoner. Dressed in the breeches and shirt, her hair wind swept, she resembled a pirate more than a daughter of a duke.

James opened his mouth to retort but the opportunity was stolen from him.

"Duke Evans, sir, I think you might want to look at this." The soldier who hovered over the body behind James made himself known for the first time.

The Duke frowned and walked around James' guards, who shifted out of his way. The Duke stopped just before the body, staring down while his face widened with shock.

"Is that…?"

"Captain Tom Riddle, sir." The man affirmed. "That'd be his ship too. Half of those pirates are his men…or were." The man corrected, standing up. "He's dead now."  
"Dead?!" The Duke said softly, amazed.

"Potter must have killed him…he was the only one on the landing, sir." Lily shifted forward, looking slightly affronted, and James frowned. Were all the soldiers so blind they didn't see the bright red-haired female?

The Duke half-turned and glared at James. "What did you steal from him?" He demanded.

James glared back. "Surprisingly, nothing." The Duke snorted in contempt.

"I find that hard to believe."

James grit his teeth. "What I find hard to believe is you out here on the sea." He smirked. "Not feeling seasick are you?"

James could've sworn he heard a growl come from the Duke's throat as the man's face darkened. "No sea or sickness could prevent me from coming to get you, pirate."

Apparently no contract either, James mused mildly.

The Duke paused for a moment, looking as though he was considering something deeply, glancing between James and Riddle's body. He shook his head abruptly, as if ridding himself of an irritating fly, and then turned to the soldiers holding James. "Take him back to the ship and lock him away." He paused, leveling his eyes with James' so the pirate got the full meaning of his next remark. "When we return to England he will be dealt with."

Lily stared at the two men who were having a silent battle with each other. James refused to be pulled away as the soldier's grip tightened, and the Duke seemed to only have eyes for his prisoner. Lily felt like a fool. How could she have thought that killing Riddle, throwing away the Key, had solved all their problems? How could she have forgotten that in her father's eyes James had kidnapped her - the Duke's only daughter - and then had the audacity to force her father to sign a contract? How could she have forgotten how much her father loathed James? How could she have forgotten the fate of all pirates?

Lily pulled forward, feeling the grip on her arms tighten as the soldier jerked her back. Does he think I'm a pirate? Lily wondered furiously as she half turned, digging her heel into the soldier's foot in an attempt to free his grip. He yelped loudly and Lily's father turned to the sound, only to see her for the first time.

The Duke's whole face widened in astonishment as he looked back at Lily - on the pirate ship, when he'd given her strict orders to stay hidden and safe on his vessel. The shock that she had disobeyed him - something he couldn't recall Lily ever having done before - made him speechless.

The young soldier tightened his grip on Lily's arm, perhaps a little too hard in his irritation at her attempted flight. The Duke spotted the soldier and anger reddened his face. "What are you doing?!" The Duke raged, his eyes bright as he stared at the young soldier who spluttered in surprise.

"I…well sir I…you said take all the pirates-"

"My daughter is _not_ a pirate!" The Duke roared, with such power that even James flinched. The young sailor's face lost all its color and he dropped Lily's arm as if it burned, stumbling away as far from Lily as the crowded landing would allow.

"I…well, sir…" The soldier stammered, looking from Lily back to the Duke. "She was with him…and well quite honestly, sir, she looks like a pirate-"

Those were the wrong words to say, James realized as the Duke's face darkened like an impending thundercloud. Lily's eyebrows raised and James thought he caught a corner of her mouth jump.

The soldiers all stared at Lily in surprise. This was certainly not the prim daughter of Duke Evans that they had thought they'd been looking for. It wasn't even the same girl the Duke had brought back from the Inn. She stood looking back at each of them with a burning in her eyes and flushed cheeks: a striking figure compared to the rest of the men.

James stared at Lily with a much different expression. She stood off alone from the rest of the group, now that the other soldiers realized she wasn't a pirate, they'd moved as far from her as possible. Lily looked at James for a moment and she saw the appreciative look in his eyes and her pink cheeks darkened.

Lily's head turned and she saw that her father was watching her with the same angry expression he'd been directing at the soldier, who had quickly left the landing. Her father's mouth tightened into a grim line. He turned his head to the side and barked out, "I told you to get him to the other ship!"

Lily saw the two soldiers jerk James' arms in surprise at being addressed, and then shove him towards the steps. She heard the faint hiss of breath and noticed for the first time that most of James' left sleeve was dyed burgundy. A soldier brushed past her and touched her father's shoulder, whispering urgently in his ear.

James had felt the two sets of hands tighten and then lead him roughly down the steps. But as his feet hit the main deck James pulled himself to an abrupt stop, his eyes gazing across the open deck.

Debris from the rail, rigging, and deck was everywhere. But beyond that were bodies, tens of them, slumped over one another; it was impossible to tell apart the _Serpent _and _Marauder _crews. The blood was visible on each body and pooling under the corpses. Daggers, swords, guns, and weapons of all shapes, sizes, and value were visible; some grasped in the cold grip of the dead, others embedded in the scattered bodies, and some thrown to the side.

James swallowed, trying to look for the familiar faces, yet at the same time wishing not to. There was Micah and Thomas and Jake. There was the blond man and Avery. Before his betraying eyes could attempt to locate either Sirius or Remus, the hands on his arms jerked him backward and away. A sick feeling in his stomach made him twist in his jailer's grip. He had to know…

He saw a flash of red hair and Lily was there, having escaped from the deck in the moments that her father was occupied. James twisted and let out another hiss.

Lily's breath was heavy as she tried to speak. "James, I-"

"Where is it, Potter!" The Duke strode down the stairs, his voice cutting off Lily's sentence. The two soldiers turned him around and James saw Lily watching her father with a serious gaze. James turned his head toward the Duke as one of the soldiers cuffed his neck in a silent order to respond.

"Where is what?" James asked, almost half-heartedly. The Duke had Lily, and had never known about the Key…what else was there?

The Duke was followed by soldiers who glared heatedly at James' nonchalant response. The Duke ignored them and stepped closer to James. His eyes filled with anger, his face reddened; a totally different man then the one that had cowered with seasickness from the young pirate only six months before.

"The gold and treasure you stole from my ship. Where is it?" The Duke demanded.

James blinked for a moment. He wanted his "treasure"? James would've laughed if his situation hadn't been so dire. The Duke wanted his treasure. As different as the two men were, as distinct as the lines had been drawn for the law-abiding and the law-breaking, for a moment the line grayed, and James thought that perhaps the Duke had much more in common with a pirate than he realized.

Lily looked quickly at James, seeing his eyes harden into ice. He straightened to his full height. "I already gave you back your treasure." Each word was slow and deliberate. "You were just fool enough to bring it back on the ocean."

Lily stopped in mid-frown as she stared at James, whose eyes were still locked with the Duke's.

The Duke's rage rose, if possible, to a greater intensity as he looked back at the cool pirate before him. Potter should've be crawling with fear, like a weakling on the ground with all the blood he'd lost. He'd fought Riddle - he should've been dead! But instead Potter had the gall to stand there, back straight, meeting his eyes like a man, like an…equal.

The Duke's teeth ground together in frustration and anger. If the pirate wouldn't tell him, then so be it. He'd find what was his, wherever it had been hidden, he'd burn the ships and take Lily back to England. And then he'd hang that smirking pirate.

"Lock him in the brig!" The Duke ordered and James' stumbled backwards a step, his feet catching on the deck as the two soldiers shoved him up on the boarding plank and then pulled him unceremoniously across. He felt his feet touch the unfamiliar deck and James glanced around, catching site of the silver painted name:

_The Valiant_

James saw the dark wood of the deck, polished and refined with no blemish. The mast rose tall from the center of the boat, a English flag flapping in the light breeze with a flag with the royal insignia resting just below. The two soldiers at his side pulled him across the deck and shoved him down through the door to the lower deck, and down the creaking stairs into darkness.

Lily leaned on the rail of _the Marauder_ seeing James' face disappear in the shadows. James…she thought numbly. Locked away for the journey…until they reached England…and there he would be hung…

Lily frowned, her eyes flashing in determination. James might've been tied to the fate of an orphan, but she would not allow him to face the fate of a pirate. She turned quickly, noticing her father had made his way across the deck, evading the bodies and then shoving open the door to James' cabin, disappearing inside.

Glancing once at the soldiers who stood along the side of the ship, Lily followed her father's path, forcing herself not to look at the dead around her feet, fearing whom she might recognize if she did. She paused for a moment in front of the door, placing her palm on the cool wood, and then pushed it open.

The door sent out a loud whine, and Lily stepped through the doorway into James' cabin. The room was as messy as it had ever been, ripped papers and tattered books thrown haphazardly across the floor, with James' sheets and blankets hanging off his bed. The lone mirror in the room was cracked and a corner was missing. Lily paused and looked into it, seeing her reflection staring steadily back at her.

A shadow shifted behind her and Lily turned quickly, her hand unconsciously reaching to her hip where a sword should've hung. The reaction was unexpected, but Lily didn't dwell on it as she stared into her father's stony features.

"You disobeyed me once, Lily. And now a second time." He said, his words were sharp, and if he had noticed her action he didn't mention it.

"What are you doing in here?" The Duke demanded. "I told you not to leave the safety of our ship!"

The last time he'd sounded that angry was when she'd been a young child. But that had been a very long time ago, and she wasn't a young child any longer. Lily's brow furrowed slightly, her mind carefully contemplating. Unlike with James she couldn't simply shout back at her father. She could not lose her temper.

"Yes." Lily finally conceded. "You did."

The words were soft, but firm and Lily hoped that her father wasn't able to see how her hands, rigid at her sides and grasping the fabric of her pants, shook.

The Duke stared at her for another moment, a muscle jumping in his jaw as he fought to keep his temper. Abruptly he turned from her and went over to James' desk, pulling out a drawer and frowning at its contents.

Lily turned, watching him carefully, waiting for him to say something in reply. But he didn't. The Duke simply pulled out another drawer and stared into it as well. She took a slow breath and then walked forward to the edge of the desk. "Father." She said slowly. Still he didn't look up, but from the way his brow twitched Lily knew he'd heard her. "You're going to hang him…aren't you." Though it was more a statement then a question the Duke nodded his head.

"Yes."

Lily swallowed hard. Her father hadn't even raised his head to respond. He turned his back to her and began rummaging around behind James' desk in the cabinet. He pulled out a bottle of rum and made a disgusted face before setting it down on the desk.

"Why?" She asked, her voice shook for a moment.

Finally her father turned and looked at her. His eyes, green to match hers, smoldered. "Why? Why am I going to hang a pirate?" He asked of her, his voice rough. "When did you get into the habit of asking silly questions?" He demanded. Lily took a harsh breath. What she knew he really meant was "When did you get into the habit of disobeying your father?".

"Why are you going to hang him?" She asked again.

"Because he's a pirate!" Her father screamed, flinging his hands wide and knocking the rum bottle off of the desk. It fell, smashing onto the floor, sending glass and drops of the amber liquid all over the floor.

A silence echoed after the crash and Lily watched the pooling liquid as it fell through the cracks in the floor. The shards of glass glinted in the pale light that came through the window; a thousand little mirrors staring into her face. Her hands tightened into fists in the material of her pants.

The Duke swallowed, watching his daughter, her head bowed. He took a deep breath and shook his head. "Lily he kidnapped you-"

"I signed my own contract." She reminded him. Her voice a soft whisper directed at the rum.

"He kept you on a pirate ship - against your will."

"I came back. I _chose_ to come back."

The Duke glared, his temper flaring again. "He's a pirate! And he will die as one!" His shout echoed in the walls of the cabin, reverberating back to Lily who bit the inside of her mouth in anger at the words.

A pirate. She'd never realized how much she'd grown to hate that vile word. It had always been poison on her tongue. But James, Remus, Sirius, and Cook - They weren't poison…they were anything but.

"No." She said, looking up at him, her eyes a steely glare and her voice sharp and full of a resounding truth that made her father stare back at her with a stunned expression. "James is not a pirate."

The feel of a rough, callused hand holding hers, pulling her down a street. "A pirate wouldn't lead you away from harm, they'd lead you to it."

Hazel eyes that glinted with every emotion: love for his friends, fear of a pirate, and at times anger. "A pirate is cold…they don't act on the powerful feelings that make your heart speed up in fear or love."

A curling smile, lighting up tanned features as an upturned face gazed at the silver stars hanging in the midnight sky. "A pirate doesn't search for his future in the stars. Or believe that they have a part in his destiny."

His past wrapped in mystery, a deep seeded loyalty to his two friends, brothers, and beneath the tinted morals and pirate persona : a warm heart that knew what was right, even if he did the unexpected to show it. "They don't try and protect the people they care about, even if it means sending them away…they don't stand and face the man who haunts their nightmares. They don't have honor, or courage, or love, or a purpose."

Lily's voice wavered for a moment as she watched her father, who stood still. His hands limp at his sides and his eyes wide as he heard each word and swallowed each sentence.

And as the words rushed over him, for the first time since he'd come upon her in the Inn, the Duke looked at his daughter. Truly looked at her. Her hair that had once been brushed to silkiness and pulled back in elaborate designs was past her shoulders, darkened, red, and wild, with a slight, natural wave. Her face, once pale like the china set she'd had as a girl, was now tanned and smooth like brass. Any baby-fat that she'd once had was gone, and she was taller, standing straighter with a trimmer body. But unlike those of the delicate princesses, hers held the slight muscle under the skin. And her hands…her hands were callused and rough.

But her eyes had changed the most. Though they were still the same brilliant green, they were filled with something new, something he'd never seen glow so brightly in them before: strength and determination.

Lily's fingernails dug into her palms and her breath quickened. Over the months that had passed she had grown to care for many of the men on the ship. Remus and Sirius. Micah, Thomas, Jake, Mitz, and John. Cook. And James. None of them deserved to hang…none of them deserved a pirate's death.

"They are not pirates." Lily said, her voice was low but her father caught every word. "They're not murderers or barbarians, monsters or rogues, untrustworthy swindlers or liars." She held her father's gaze, her dry lips cracked and her heart sped up in her chest. "They're men." She breathed out. "Good men. Good, loyal men. Every one of them."

Lily paused for a moment, watching her father's face, which had fallen from anger to something else. A furrowed brow and a tight mouth, confusion and irritation, but the lines around his eyes gave off another feeling - amazement. At seeing his daughter, who had always been thought to be the embodiment of her mother, staring back at him with his own eyes and his own will.

"Especially," She began again. Her father watched her now as she took a breath, and saw the turn of her lips as they parted, the soft look in her eyes moments before she spoke his name.

"James Potter."

----------------

James felt the chains release his wrists as the soldier shoved him between the shoulder-blades, causing him to stumble through the cell's open door. As he turned the iron door swung shut and a harsh clank told him it had locked. James watched as the soldier walked off down the corridor, up the ladder-steps and then disappeared. Gripping the iron bars in his hands, James let out a long breath, then leaned his forehead against the door.

It was over. Everything was over. The Key was gone…along with any treasure it might have brought. He'd survived Riddle, but only barely. And he was locked in a cell, the prisoner of a man who would relish the moment he swung on the hangman's noose.

James turned his head, pressing his cheek against the cold bars as his muscles melted with the building exhaustion. Behind his closed eyes he saw each of them again. Micah. Thomas. Jake. Faces pale, cold, fixed forever in a single expression. Cook. The bullet, meant for James, had torn through his arm. Mitz. John. Their faces had only been there through the smoke of the early battle. Sirius. He had saved James' life. Remus. He had jumped past James the second both crews had moved. James couldn't remember seeing their faces among the dead on the deck, but that didn't mean that they weren't…

His chest felt empty and cold. James clenched his eyes shut, his teeth ground against one another in silent anger. His crew was dead, wounded, and maybe captured, if the soft voices from further down the corridor were any indication. James knew he should call out and see if they were in fact his crew, but his mouth was dry and his voice refused to work, refused to check and see who _wasn't_ there.

James turned, leaning heavily against the cell door. His knees were like water beneath him. He wondered if maybe he could make it to the back of the cell…or just collapse where he stood…

"James…" The voice from the shadows at the back of the cell caused James to stop. Slowly he turned his head, gazing toward the voice. His hand tightened on the bar, cutting into his palm.

"James…is that you?"

James swallowed hard, pushing himself off the door and swaying on his feet. His mind was playing tricks on him…it had to be…but he knew that voice…he _knew_…

A haggard face appeared at the edge of the shadows, and a figure stumbled forward a step, his hand that was pressed against his side was stained red.

James stared forward, his hands slack at his sides. "Sirius." The word was a croak.

Sirius Black gazed back at his friend as if he had seen an angel. He swallowed and took a step. Unfortunately, in his fatigue, his feet caught on one another and he fell forward. James caught him with a grunt and pulled him up by his forearm. Sirius leaned heavily against James' chest, looking up at him with watery eyes and a weak smile.

"We…we thought…we thought you were…" Sirius' voice cracked and broke. His free hand gripped the front of James' shirt and he pressed his forehead against James' shoulder, as if reassuring himself that the man who stood before him was flesh and blood.

James' arm that still supported Sirius tightened around his friend. He could feel Sirius' steady heartbeat against his own chest through the thin shirt material. "If it helps." James said softly, looking down. "I thought the same of you." Sirius looked up and paused for a short moment before smiling.

There was a rustle of clothing and James glanced to his side. A figure stood there, watching him with pale features, shirt handing loose from his body and blood caked on his hairline. He let out a strangled breath and took a step up to James.

James swallowed, his eyes drinking in the leathery look of his friend's face. He half expected to see the previous anger still lingering in Remus' eyes. But the light eyes that stared back at him now were full of only one thing: utter relief. Still, James felt a knot tighten in his stomach as he stared at his unmoving friend. "I…I'm sorry…" James said slowly, his eyes held Remus' and the latter tilted his head ever so slightly. "For what I did…" James swallowed hard. "Remus-"

The spell broke. Remus reached across the distance and pulled James over, wrapping an arm tightly around his shoulder.

James winced slightly as Remus' arm brushed against his shoulder, but he ignored it, leaning his forehead against Remus, breathing in the dull scent on the shirt and letting the silent forgiveness wash over him.

Sirius, jerked along with James into the hug, grabbed Remus' shoulder to steady himself, then leaned into the two bodies of his friends, feeling content in the way their shoulders moved with each breath, proof every moment that they were alive.

Time stretched on in silence, until James' shoulder grew sore, the blood on Sirius' fingers dried, and Remus closed his eyes against the steady throb in his head. Still they were reluctant to pull apart, and it wasn't until Sirius' knees decided to buckle that they broke in order for Remus and James to grab Sirius by each arm.

Sirius shook his head at them, mumbling something under his breath and then pushing James' hands off his arm, trying to gain his own footing again. James watched his friend struggle with his own two feet, until he could stand fairly straight, giving Remus an affronted look when the mousy haired man kept his grip on his arm.

Finally James spoke. "You're alive. How?"

Sirius glanced at him, his eyes misted slightly as he considered the question. How was he standing, albeit unsteadily, with a gaping wound along his side?

"It appears." Remus said heavily, wincing slightly as he spoke. "That we are much harder to kill then we gave ourselves credit for."

Sirius glanced at him shrewdly. "Won't be anything a noose and a short drop can't fix."

Remus and James looked at him in surprise.

"And you call _me_ a wet blanket?" Remus asked, astonished.

Sirius smirked back at him, but any further comment was halted as his knees again buckled. Remus' grip helped him from sinking completely to the floor, but he came very close before James grabbed him too.

"Perhaps we should sit down?" James suggested with a grunt, hauling Sirius up from his sunken position, though having to do it one handed as his left arm protested any such work.

Sirius grinned back at him. "If you insist." He replied, letting his watery legs take him as far as the back wall of the cell before he sunk down to the floor. James sat down beside him, and Remus on James' other side. Sirius blinked for a moment, then leaned over, curling up on the floor and placing his head in James' lap. James looked down at him with smiling eyes and felt Remus' shoulder shift closer as if for warmth. The image of three orphaned boys, clinging to one another on a winter night long ago hardly seemed like a memory as a faint smile crossed James' lips. The secure feeling of the two bodies near him calmed his rapidly pounding heart and his eyes slid shut.

Sounds from the deck above drifted down and James half wondered what condition his ship was in. They'll burn Riddle's, he thought to himself. Burn it and leave it to the sea. And _the Marauder_? They would burn it, too.

"It's embarrassing." Sirius' voice was a murmur. James opened his eyes, looking down, half wondering if Sirius had fallen asleep and was simply mumbling in a dream.

"What is?" Remus asked, his own eyes focused on the door, or rather something beyond it that James couldn't see.

"That we manage to survive the deadliest pirate on the seas…only to be caged by the English right after." Sirius continued. "Embarrassing."

Remus chuckled to himself. "Terrible luck, too."

James raised his eyes and smiled weakly. "Pathetic, really."

"I wouldn't go that far, after all," Sirius opened his bright eyes, "We _did_ survive the deadliest pirate on the seas."

James smirked slightly, shifting and feeling his cuts protest. Not without blood for our efforts, he thought to himself. James glanced toward his left shoulder and gingerly reached up to pull back the shirt. The gash had already begun darkening to a brown-red, though the blood that stained the skin still looked fresh.

Remus brushed his fingers against the cut along his hairline, where a bullet had nearly ended his life. James looked at him, the question on his lips, but he held back, for the same reason that he didn't ask Sirius how he'd gotten the large wound on his side. It wasn't important. No matter what had passed on the deck, they were alive, locked up and bleeding, but alive nonetheless.

Still, there was one question that couldn't help but slip through his lips. "What about the men?" The _other_ men…the ones who weren't present in the cell.

Remus shook his head wearing a sad, weary look. "We don't know…after the battle we didn't see anyone…"

"Thomas was with us near the end. I saw him go down to some of Riddle's men, slimy bastards outnumbered him five to one…and he took every one of them with him." Sirius reported, a proud edge in his grainy voice.

James licked his dry lips and shifted against the wall. For all they knew they were the only ones left. Three. That wasn't near enough to sail a ship…wasn't even enough to let down a sail. Not that it mattered. They were locked in the hull of an English ship set for hanging. There would be no escape and no sailing of any ship.

"Did you see anyone?" Sirius asked, bringing James back from his thoughts.

The faces of fallen friends were clear in James' memory. "Yes." James affirmed slowly, his voice hollow. Sirius shifted his head, looking up at James' face. Remus swallowed hard.

"And Riddle?" Remus prodded, his gaze turned back to the door, perhaps looking for some glimmer of hope in the darkness of the cell.

James felt a warm sensation in his stomach and a fire blazed behind his fierce eyes. "Dead."

Sirius turned and nearly sat up as he stared at James, his eyes wide and a baffled smile across his lips. "Dead." His voice squeaked. "Truly…dead?" Remus stared at James, his eyes wide.

James nodded. "He's dead."

Remus' eyes were wonder-filled as he stared at his captain. Of course, Riddle would be dead…if he hadn't been then James wouldn't have been down in the cell, that much Remus was sure. But still…Riddle dead…it was like a heavy weight lifted off Remus' chest, a weight he knew had also left both James and Sirius.

"How?" Sirius asked, begging the story with eyebrows raised and a wide smile.

James sat up slightly, following the grooves of the floor with his eyes as his mind drifted back to the clang of swords, the steady pound of feet on the deck. "We fought…for awhile it was equal. But-" The sickening crack as he connected with the rail, the cold hands on his shirt, the sword cutting through his body. "I couldn't stop him…" Sirius' smile wavered for a moment, sensing a change in James' words. "He was so close…to killing me." The feeling of weakness overpowering his body as he hit the deck, the sword gone from his grasp, the metal weapon moments away from ending his life.

Sirius' smile dropped away from his face and his eyes fell into a darkness. His friend had almost died…it didn't matter that somehow he'd survived. That he had come so close…been inches away from death... "You almost…he almost…you almost died." Sirius said, his voice monotone.

"But you didn't." Remus said, affirming the fact as much as to comfort the fear in Sirius' voice. "How? Riddle is…was not the sort of person to have a change of heart."

That single powerful word that halted Riddle's blade, the look in her eyes, that defiant anger in her face. "He didn't…Lily stopped him."

Sirius blinked and Remus' face widened. "Lily…? But, you let her go…she wasn't on the ship…"

James shook his head. "The Duke, he found her in port…at the Inn where I left her. When he was looking for us, he found Lily."

Remus stared at him. "He was looking for-"

"I told you!" Sirius snapped loudly. "I told you he was looking for us! I told you he would be in that port!"

"But…he was seasick…that was the reason Lily came in his stead to begin with." Remus argued faintly.

James smirked at the irony of it. "Apparently seasickness couldn't stop him from wanting to reclaim his only daughter…neither could a contract."

"He ignored the contract." Remus realized, his eyes glowed faintly in the darkness of the cell. Part of him wished to throw up at the realization, while his other part was still struck dumb. "For six months we've been saved by pure dumb luck…not by any contract…"

Sirius slumped on James' lap, staring up at the ceiling in a daze.

James shook his head. "It doesn't matter anymore, anyway. I told you, I ripped up the contract when I left Lily…it's broken…gone. There is no more contract."

"There's also apparently no more luck." Sirius muttered under his breath.

Remus made a face, but whether it was at Sirius' comment or at the new events unfolding before him, James wasn't sure. "So the Duke broke the contract, to go looking for Lily. And he found Lily at the Inn where you left her when you broke the contract that he ignored. And when the Duke's ship came upon ours, she was on it." James nodded. "How'd she save you from Riddle, then?"

"She jumped ship." James said blandly. "At least I assume so…I don't know of any father who would allow his daughter to go into a pirate battle."

"And of course, as we've realized, Lily doesn't take orders from anyone." Sirius added lightly. "I wonder if she was always like that or if you rubbed off on her?" He questioned James, who decided grudgingly that it was probably the latter.

"How could Lily possibly save you?" Remus asked, his voice held a ring of suspicion

James sent his friend a mild look. "You have obviously never seen Lily fight." The pride in James' voice was unmistakable.

Remus' eyes widened. "You mean she…she fought Riddle?" James inclined his head. "You let her fight Riddle?!"

"I didn't 'let' her do anything, she did it all on her bloody own! She's the one who barged up there and made Riddle angry!" Remus sent him a questioning look and Sirius shifted his head to look at James with the same curiosity. James let out a long breath. "She…showed him the Key."

Remus' features froze in shock and Sirius' face widened with mute astonishment. Of course, they knew James didn't have the Key, they'd seen the empty chain as clearly as Riddle. And though they hadn't had the time to wonder what he could've done with the precious object, neither of them thought he would've hidden it with Lily.

"Wait a moment." Remus said, his voice heavy. "Lily…had the Key?"

James nodded silently. "I left it when I left her…it was safer that way."

Remus wanted to ask how James figured it safer to leave Lily with the one thing every pirate wanted, and would easily have killed for.

Perhaps James had read Remus' mind for he spoke up again. "Riddle didn't know about Lily…with or without the Key she would've been safe." Remus looked at him with a furrowed brow. "If she'd stayed where she was supposed to…" James mumbled to himself. But, of course, Lily had not stayed where she was "supposed to", she had taken matters into her own hands, and there was no doubt in James' mind that she had stolen the sword from a soldier and had charged the pirate ship disguised among them.

Sirius studied James for a moment then shrugged a shoulder, closing his eyes again. "Well, at least now we know whose keeping the Key safe."

Yeah, James thought to himself, the fishes.

"We won't have to worry about it."

Remus sent Sirius an irritated look, as if the black-haired, half asleep man was completely missing the point. James, however turned his gaze back to his arm, studying it almost too intently. Moments passed in silence before he said, in an offhanded voice, "Actually…you don't have to worry about the Key…at all…"

Sirius' eyes twitched but didn't open. Remus glanced at James warily. "Why is that?"

"Lily threw it overboard."

Sirius eyes snapped open and he lurched to a sitting position, ignoring how his vision swam and his side protested. His eyes bulged out of his head as his mouth dropped open. "She…threw…the…what?!" Sirius yelped.

James looked up at him. "She showed the Key to Riddle…then threw it overboard."

"She…how…you…" Sirius fumbled. "How could you let her do something like that?!" He finally yelled.

Remus stared at James, as if trying to determine whether or not he was lying. The hazel eyes were set and Remus' mouth dried. He was telling the truth. The fiery redhead had actually done what they should've done years before, but had never had the courage to do. She'd thrown the Key overboard.

Sirius was not seeing it that way, all he was seeing through glaring eyes was James.

"She made the decision on her own." James rebutted. And there was no doubt in his mind that she'd known exactly what she was doing when she had thrown the Key overboard.

"Is that why Riddle fought Lily?" Remus asked softly. "Because she threw the Key away?" James nodded and Remus fell silent.

"That's it then?" Sirius demanded. "You fight Riddle, nearly get killed, Lily steps in, throws away the Key, she somehow manages to survive and you kill Riddle."

James nodded again, his face passive.

"That's it then? Not leaving anything out this time?" Sirius goaded him, anger almost sparking from his eyes.

James found the burning eyes impossible to look at and he lurched to his feet, moving away from them to the door of the cell. In truth, he'd been shocked and even a bit angry when Lily had thrown the Key, but now…now there was no weight on his chest, at least no physical one, and he felt truly free of the troubles the Key had brought him. No treasure in a million years would've been worth it anyway, he decided silently.

However it didn't seem as though Sirius, who was still fuming in the back of the cell, shared his view.

"Perhaps Lily threw the rest of our gold into the ocean as well? Or maybe you had already given that to her when you left her at the Inn!"

"Sirius just…stop!" James growled, unable to take his friend's goading a moment longer.

Sirius shifted, resting his back against the wall, placing his hand on his side. His hand shook, as did the rest of his body. "Six years." He said slowly. "We spent six years of maps, charts, pubs, and nightmares…six years looking for that treasure, James. We looked for six years…and we never found anything…"

Remus dropped his head, studying at his hands. Never found anything. No blond hair or smiling face coming from a doorway. No bright eyes - it was all lost forever. No stolen ship or aspiring seamen could ever find it.

James turned so his back was leaning against the cell, bowing his head to stare at the floor. Never found anything. What had he tried to find? A lost girl? A treasure? Some route pointing to the wrong star in the wrong direction?

Sirius swallowed hard and shook his head, the waning anger being replaced by hopelessness. "We tried. We looked…" His voice stopped and Sirius bit down hard on his lip, almost drawing blood.

"Lily survived." Remus murmured, his voice a question. James nodded slowly. Yes she was alive…definitely alive.

But as to where she was at the moment, James didn't know. Or what she was doing…treating her wounds? Maybe watching the ships burning into the sea? Pirate ships being destroyed?

Maybe she wouldn't want to see the ship burn…then again why wouldn't she? They were _pirate_ ships.

But she did come back…and had saved him…and had kissed him…

His heart thumped as the memory came back to him. A warmth ran down his skin and across his lips as he thought back to kissing her. I kissed her, he thought to himself. And she kissed me back.

Both his friends were oblivious to what was happening in James' head. They were each concentrating on their own thoughts. Thoughts of girls, blond hair and brown, smiles, and eyes that were fixed on them, and only them. Things they'd run from, fought for, nearly died for…things they'd lost, and had never fully gotten back. All the raw feelings that had accumulated over six years suddenly filled their hearts, and Remus nearly sagged against the wall with the welcomed weight of it.

In the twenty-plus years he'd been breathing the air and walking the earth Remus had never felt more secure then when he'd been next to Sirius or James. Never had he felt like so much more than an orphan whose hourglass was set to run out then when he was with James and Sirius. They'd fought next to him and protected him. He owed them everything, yet knew in his heart he would never have to repay the debt with anything more than his own love.

"Well…" Remus conceded, talking more to himself though the whispered words echoed to the other two men. "It could be worse."

Remus' words, an olive branch, pushed into Sirius' thoughts and he lifted his head, staring at his friend. One of the two people whom he trusted most in the world. One of the two people who'd offered him an olive branch so many years ago, when he'd been left all alone. From that moment on he never remembered being alone again. "It is worse." He pointed out blandly, in common Sirius fashion. "We're locked in a cell, bleeding to death, and about to be shipped off to our hanging. We've met and surpassed worse."

Remus snorted in an attempt to hide his laugh, though he failed miserably. Sirius glanced at him shrewdly, but his softened eyes and small smile gave him away. Of his three loves, his friends were still higher then either gold or women.

James let a half smile grace his lips, he'd heard both his friends words, and the looks in their eyes showed all anger gone.

And yet still he couldn't focus on what Sirius mumbled next. The tingling sensation burned his lips, though the moment had been minutes, maybe even hours, gone. But still the slow, big, almost goofy smile spread across his face.

Sirius paused and glanced up at him, looking as if he wanted to say something to calm the waters between them. But instead he stopped, blinking up at James. "Why are you smiling?"

Remus looked up and his head jerked backwards as he saw the look on James face: soft and content. Never in all the years that he'd known him had Remus ever seen that look on James' face.

Sirius stared at James with an incredulous look. "Why are you - why is he smiling?" Sirius demanded of Remus, who shrugged a helpless shoulder. Both of them had also been grinning, but the smile on James' face was different…too different.

James' eyes sparkled as they refocused on his friends and his face flushed red. "I kissed her." He said simply.

Any of the previous argument was lost the moment the statement crossed James' lips. Silence reigned in the cell, so deafening it almost echoed against the walls. Remus' face fell forward slightly before a croak that passed for words broke from his lips, "You…what?"

"Lily. I kissed Lily."

Remus stared at him, frozen in the same position.

"She was yelling…and ranting. And I just…kissed her." James finished, slightly embarrassed, though he was also obviously pleased.

Sirius blinked, then a large grin burst across his face. "Well it's about damn time!"

A startled look came into James' eyes. "I-"

"It sure took you long enough, mate! You could've done it earlier and saved us this whole ordeal."

"I-I…what?" James exclaimed.

"You kissed her…you just grabbed her and kissed her?" Remus asked, stunned.

James blushed red. "Well…yeah…then she kissed me back." He defended.

Remus glanced at Sirius, then back at James, still gaping. Sirius hooted with laughter, only wincing slightly. James' stared at him, at a loss for what to say. Slowly, a helpless smile broke onto his face.

"I can't believe…ha!" Sirius said still laughing. "You kissed her! This is bloody wonderful! Did her father see?"

James froze, his mind trying to go back and remember, but that part was hazy. The only thing that was tangible and indisputable was Lily. "I…I don't know." James stuttered, his face paling.

Sirius took one look at his friend's face and roared with laughter, falling helplessly to the floor, on his good side, his whole body shaking.

James frowned at him, but slowly began to chuckle, his chest vibrating comfortably. A grin pulled at Remus' lips, cracking them and a laugh broke free. The laughter was contagious and it rose, echoing on the walls. And as it rose, the bitter thoughts of lost keys or lovers were buried beneath the warmth of the men's rumbling laughter. James leaned heavily on the door of the cell as laughter shook his ribs and Remus braced himself on the floor to keep from rolling on the ground like Sirius.

"I had always heard that helpless laughter takes over a man just before he dies." A voice resounded clearly over the laughter.

James' voice cut off and he whirled, stumbling back from the cell door in surprise. Remus was up on his feet and he caught James' arm, steadying him. Sirius stood up and put a hand on James' shoulder, making sure to keep his balance as he stared at the door.

A commanding soldier in a brushed blue uniform crossed his arms, standing just beyond the door. Five other soldiers stood just behind him, their faces like carved marble, were expressionless.

"The Duke," The commanding soldiers said as a key was used to unlock the cell door. "Wishes to see you three. On deck. Now."

The commanding soldier moved out of the way as the soldiers came forward, opening the door and ushering Sirius, James, and Remus out of the cell. Once outside James felt a set of hands grab his arm and pull him away from Sirius and Remus. The commanding soldier made his way down the corridor and James was made to follow. Sirius and Remus came after, each with a soldier's iron grip on their arm and shoulder.

James thought about trying to resist, but decided against it, letting his feet keep in step with the soldiers as they walked along each of the bottom decks and up the stairs.

"He's going to hang us on the deck." Sirius' whisper floated up to James and he half turned to look back at his pale friend, who was stumbling along each step. "He's taking us up there to be hung."

"Don't be ridiculous, Sirius." Remus mumbled back, his lips barely moving. "He's not going to hang us on deck."

"Then why would he take us out of the cell?" Sirius whispered back harshly.

"Sirius he's not going to-"

"Be quiet you two!" And the two men fell silent. James stumbled on a step and turned his gaze back to the shoulders of the man in front of him.

The sun burned James' eyes as they passed through the door onto the main deck. He quickly shut his eyes and waited until the dancing black dots faded and he slowly opened them again.

He saw the soldiers rushing around the deck of the ship, and it appeared to him that most of the soldiers were already back from the other ships. James glanced to his side and saw Riddle's ship separated from the other two, drifting out further into the ocean as the blaze built by the soldiers roared, fire climbing the mast and skimming along the railing and deck. James swallowed, his mouth dry as he watched the orange flames smolder along the hull of the ship. The silver letters withered and blackened until James could no longer see them and he turned his head away.

_The Marauder_ was still attached to the English ship, the boarding planks still set and James saw a few soldiers delicately crossing them to return to the comfort of their own ship. James saw none of the dead on his ship and concluded that they'd all been put out to sea. He frowned slightly, a part of him wishing to give any of his own friends who had fallen a proper sea burial…though he knew that his pirate comrades would've abhorred the idea of an extravagant send off, even from him. James glanced again at the ship, wondering why it wasn't set afloat with Riddle's and brightening the morning sky with its own flames.

James turned his head as one of the soldiers pulled on his upper arm, and made his way across the open deck, stopping just behind the lead officer, whose back was still to him. The soldiers let go of his arms and stepped off to the side, their presence still clearly felt. James heard Sirius and Remus pause behind him. James glanced at Remus who was studying the back of the leading officer and then at Sirius whose eyes darted back and forth, even as he swayed on his feet, looking for any ropes that were out of place.

The leading officer was speaking in low tones to a man standing just beyond James' line of sight. But James knew who it was even before the leading officer moved out of the way.

James kept his face straight as the Duke looked at him. Old green eyes locked with young hazel ones in a silent battle until James finally turned his head away, looking out across the deck.

"Captain James Potter." The words slipped from the Duke's mouth like bitter molasses. James looked back at him, lifting his chin ever so slightly and bracing his feet on the deck. "You kidnapped my daughter, tied her and I to a contract, and stole my gold." He paused but James held his silence.

The Duke reached forward suddenly, grabbing James' right forearm and jerking him forward. James bit the inside of his mouth to keep from yelping. His eyebrows narrowed as the Duke pushed up his sleeve to reveal a bare arm. The Duke looked up at him and lifted James' forearm slightly, as if showing it to him.

"No brand. You've never been caught and dubbed a pirate." The voice almost dared James to rebut the remark.

But James had no such intention. "No." He replied, his voice threatened to crack, but James held its volume. "Never."

"You never expected to be?" The Duke's tone gave away his opinion of such a thought.

James frowned at him, wishing to jerk his arm away from the Duke, but holding back, if only because of the multitude of soldiers that drifted by the group. "It was never in the plan." He said slowly.

The Duke dropped James' arm and raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? What was in the plan, Captain Potter?"

James jaw tightened. "Certainly not this…a hanging on an English ship."

The Duke glared at him then turned abruptly and went over to the table, shifting around the papers on its top.

James glanced from the corner of his eye at _the Marauder_, it's sails still fluttering in the light breeze. Then he looked back at the Duke, his head tilted slightly as he watched the man who stood before him. Something was different. The anger that had boiled to it's bursting point was gone, but as to how or why James hadn't a clue.

But though the anger was gone, James could sense something else brewing just under the surface, and his hands tightened into fists in anticipation.

"Do you honestly believe that I would hang you here on the deck?" The Duke turned and looked at James, a mild sarcasm in his voice.

Remus looked meaningfully at Sirius, who ignored him.

James shrugged a shoulder. "I suppose not…wouldn't want to defile your precious English ship." The words were bitter in his mouth.

The Duke stared at him for a moment, then shook his head. "You speak without thinking, Captain Potter." James frowned. "Do you really care so little about the consequences of your words?"

James barked a laugh and the Duke looked up sharply. "The 'consequences' of my words?" James asked, his voice rough, his eyes overly bright. "What possible consequences could you give me that would make me squirm anymore? A hanging? A life time in a cell doing hard labor?"

The Duke stared levelly back at him, not rising to any bait that James might've been offering. "Don't you fear any of that?" He asked.

James snorted, shifting forward and bluntly ignoring how the soldiers at his sides tensed. "I've been chased for the past two years by a mad pirate out for my blood. I've been haunted by nightmares. I've been hunted, and beaten, and nearly killed by the pirate that all of England couldn't seem to catch. And I survived. Nothing you could do, or threaten to do, to me could cause me any fear that hasn't already been felt and exhausted."

The Duke watched James and saw how the pirate took a long labored breath as he ended his speech, noticing how James refused to slump into a comfortable position but stood still and straight before the Duke.

"A noble thing to say." The Duke allowed. "Unfortunately, this does not just concern you."

James frowned, unsure of what the Duke meant.

The Duke tilted his head slightly, fixing James with an interested expression. "You named things which would not put fear in your heart. What of your comrades? If they were threatened with a rope, death, labor, would you fear then, Captain Potter?"

James shifted uneasily on the deck, his breath quickening ever so slightly as he weighed the Duke's words. When he didn't respond the Duke looked mock surprised. "No answer, Captain?" He prodded.

James swallowed hard. And the Duke smiled. "Very well then." He nodded to four of the guards, who grabbed Remus and Sirius suddenly, taking out rope and attempting to bind each of their hands. Sirius pulled hard against the men, moving his arms in an effort to evade the rope, a frantic look in his face. Remus jerked against one soldier, trying to pull away from the other, twisting his hands as the coarse rope tightened around his wrists.

Horrified, James turned and moved forward, only to be caught on either side by two more soldiers, who held him securely in place. "No." He said loudly, his eyes focused on his friends. The Duke waited a moment more. "No!" James now begged, twisting in his captors grip, looking back at the Duke's smug face.

"Wait." The Duke said, and the soldiers stopped their tying, though neither Remus or Sirius stopped their struggling. James' chest heaved as he stared at the Duke, whose face was unreadable.

"What if I made you a deal…to get your friends out of the pirate trap you've made for them."

James swallowed. "The English don't make deals with pirates." He returned, breathless.

The Duke nodded. "True." And James feared for a moment that he would turn and give the order for the other two men's demise. "But I might be willing to make an exception…just to see how deep a pirate's loyalty will go."

Anything, James thought internally, pulling against the men who held either arm. "I'll do anything." James breathed aloud. The Duke made a motion to the men holding James, and they each let go, stepping off to the side. James straightened, standing close to the Duke. "I'll die for them…" James' voice was soft as he stared back at the Duke. "I'll die for them here on the deck." He swore.

"Really." The Duke didn't seem to accept the words. He stepped up to James so that barely a foot was between the two men. "Pirates are liars." He spat out. "Thieves, murders, vagabonds, criminals, yes. But especially liars. Why should I believe that anything you say is true…but instead false pretense that you are putting up to hold your pirate image?"

Fury built up inside James and his eyes burned with anger. With a sudden motion he pulled the pistol from the Duke's belt before the Duke realized he'd so much as moved. The soldiers moved forward but halted as James, surprisingly, shoved the pistol in the Duke's open hand, the barrel pointed at his own chest. The Duke looked at the gun in his hand, then frowned at James.

James' breath quickened as he felt his heart pounding painfully against his chest. "Kill me, then." He said slowly. "Kill me now. You've wanted to for six months - and I deserve nothing less, correct? Because I'm a pirate." He opened his hands as if in surrender. The pistol was pointed toward him and the Duke's hand tightened as he again looked at the polished weapon in his hand.

Remus and Sirius lurched against their captors, but were overpowered and held back. Sirius strained and felt like he would faint from the tearing at his side. Remus jerked his arms but found they were already bound tightly behind his back. They were helpless.

The Duke stood back for a moment, raising his chin and surveying the man who stood before him. Young, foolish and with a quick tongue to boot. But strong, and smart. After all, as he'd said, he'd gone up against the pirate that the English couldn't catch…and won. "No…I don't suppose you are." He said slowly.

"You don't suppose I'm a what?" James murmured softly, his whole body tensed.

The Duke looked at him levelly. "A pirate."

James looked up sharply, staring at the Duke with blank eyes. Sirius and Remus stopped and stared at the two men, confusion in their eyes.

"And that is why I am going to offer you a chance Captain Potter. One chance. And that's all."

James stared dumbly at the Duke, his mouth slightly slack. He blinked quickly, trying to form some words from the gurgle that sounded in the back of his throat. "I…beg your pardon?"

The Duke smiled. "Yes…in fact I believe you do." James frowned again. "You see, Captain Potter, I am going to give you a chance…a 'first chance' as the case might be."

"You mean…a pardon?" Remus asked from behind James, his eyes squinting in concentration. Sirius continued to stare mutely at the Duke.

The Duke looked at Remus and half nodded. "In some form." He looked back at James and smiled wider. "Captain Potter, I am proposing a contract."

The word fell like heavy lead on James and the captain blinked slowly, his eyes widening. His mouth dried completely and he stared in struck dumb confusion at the smiling, no smirking, Duke standing before him

Remus' mouth snapped shut and his eyes widened so much that his eyebrows disappeared beneath his bangs. Sirius fell slightly forward, though it was impossible to tell if it was from shock or lack of balance.

"A contract?" James' voice was uneasy, his face masked in an untrustworthy gaze.

The Duke nodded. "That is one thing I believe you can understand, Captain Potter." James knew he should've felt slightly insulted but at the moment he couldn't wrap his mind around anything other than the fact that his chance, his pardon, was the very thing that had gotten him into the mess to begin with, the very thing he had relied on - and the very thing the Duke had said couldn't save him. A contract.

Smiling at James' expression the Duke turned and set the gun down on the table, then reached for a paper that rested on the table. He turned and showed it to James, who saw black script rippling along the yellowed page. "It states that you will no longer marauder, pillage, steal from, or otherwise inhibit an English vessel in any way." The Duke recited slowly, his eyes bright. "In other words…you will no longer be pirates."

Remus frowned slightly. "All we have to do…is sign?" He questioned uneasily.

"And of course, abide by the contract." The Duke replied. Remus glanced at Sirius who looked back at him, surprise written all over his face.

A contract. James thought slowly. A contract that said he had to give up the life he'd had for the last six years. And for what? To sail around as a merchant, only getting minimum coin and probably being set on by pirates who didn't have the terrible luck of tying the Duke to a contract in the first place.

The irony of it was suffocating.

And yet…it was a chance for freedom. A chance to escape the death that he'd been so certain was waiting for him. And a chance such as that didn't come around but once in a blue moon.

James turned and looked at his two friends, meeting their eyes each in turn. Sirius' dark ones were overly bright as the first mate leaned away from the two men who held him to hold James' gaze. Remus' gray orbs were confident. James looked back at the Duke and took a breath. Then he stepped forward and took the quill from the table, holding out his other hand for the contract.

The Duke waited for a brief moment then handed it to him. James leaned over the table and paused, letting the ink drip off the tip of the quill and seep onto the parchment. One stroke of the quill was all it would take…James took a breath and touched the quill to the rough parchment, looping around and sending the ink into swirls and he penned three words: _Captain James Potter_.

Straitening, James looked down at his name, boldly staring back at him from under the terms of the contract. He turned and looked at the Duke, who had watched him pen the name.

"Let them go." Strangely, James voice was confident, almost having the edge of an order. But the Duke ignored the tone, and nodded to his men.

Sirius felt the ropes fall from his wrists and the grip on his arms disappear. He jerked himself away, stumbling forward a couple steps, then glancing at the soldiers who had backed away. Remus came up at his side, looking toward James.

James held out the quill for them, a simple message in his eyes: they didn't have to sign - if they felt it wrong they could refuse and he would scratch his name off and hang with them when they reached England.

But Sirius stepped forward and gently pulled the quill from James' fingers. "Your choice, captain." He whispered softly, lifting his eyes to meet James'. "A pretty damn good one." James' chest swelled slightly as Sirius stepped up to the table where the contract lay and penned his own name: _Sirius Black_.

The first mate turned and held out the quill to the last remaining member. Remus stood for a moment, breathing in a slow breath, then stepping forward and plucking the quill from Sirius' hand. He leaned over and wrote his name: _Remus Lupin_.

Remus looked up at James for a moment, nodding with a shadow of a smile on his lips.

When the third signer backed away the Duke stepped forward and took the quill, signing his own name at the bottom of the contract, authorizing it as more than a contract, but also as a chance. He looked at James then and put his hand out to one of his soldiers. The soldier stepped forward and handed the Duke a dagger, which the Duke held out to James.

"Seal it with blood." He made it sound like a suggestion, but in truth it wasn't. James looked at the dagger, then took it with his hand, pricking his finger and smearing the blood under his signature. Both Sirius and Remus followed suit, as did the Duke.

Sirius stepped back next to Remus, glancing at the second mate, who was looking down at his hands. "What?" He asked.

Remus looked up, smiling slightly. "Funny…I don't feel any different." He said slowly. Sirius raised an eyebrow. "I mean…I don't feel like any less of a pirate."

Sirius smiled at him. "Yeah…maybe we weren't the pirates we thought we were."

Remus grinned in return. "Maybe."

James watched as the Duke straitened, holding the contract in one hand. "I suppose you'll be keeping that." James said slowly, eyeing the contract and then the Duke's face.

The Duke cocked an eyebrow at him. "You suppose correctly, Captain Potter."

James tilted his head to the side. "I also suppose that I get to keep my ship." He added lightly.

Duke Evans glanced at _the Marauder_, a look of pity crossing his face before he turned back to James. "I suppose you'd better. I'll also want you taking them." He nodded behind James.

James frowned slightly and turned. When he'd fully faced the other direction his eyes widened and his mouth curled in a smile of relief.

Standing near the door to the bottom deck stood fifteen men, staring back at him with the same look of happiness they were receiving from Sirius and Remus.

"They're alive." Remus breathed.

Alive. Worse for wear, but alive. And that was all that mattered to James as his eyes passed over the young faces of Mitz and John, each broken into a huge smile; the grizzled face of Cook, whose arm was in a makeshift sling, but whose eyes lacked any weariness; and the other twelve men who stood ready to reunited with their three leaders. From the look in their eyes James knew the fifteen wouldn't hold the contract against him…they might even warm up to the idea of living a legalized, well probably a partially-legalized, life.

James smiled and then glanced at the Duke who was watching him with a very content smile. "Remember this contract, Captain Potter." The Duke showed him the contract again. "Once chance. I won't give a second." With those words the Duke turned from James and walked off along the deck.

James felt numb as he stood on the deck; frozen in that moment of time with only the rushing feeling of relief in every limb. He was alive - and he'd just been given a pardon, well a form of one, but he would take it.

A hard body hit James' back, knocking the breath from his chest. Sirius wrapped an arm around James' shoulder, half leaning on James' back. "We're alive!"

Remus gripped James' arm, smiling at him. "We're not going to hang!" Sirius clung to James, a bright smile across his face as he saw the rest of the crew coming over to them. The soldiers dispersed, no longer having anyone to guard.

Remus cast Sirius a mild look. "Not yet."

Sirius glared. "Not ever if I have anything to say about it!"

The crew was there, scrambling around them like puppies. Mitz gripped Remus' arm, asking if perhaps Remus could spare the time to teach him how to use the knife for something other than a last resort projectile. Cook brushed against Sirius and the latter grinned, making a comment about a bum cook not being worth the food he'd make. One of the older crew members messed up James' hair with a clumsy hand and John's mellow voice asked where they were sailing to next.

Sirius' voice quickly carried over the group of men, briefly describing the new arrangements of the ship. None of the men seemed daunted by the news, they mainly just wanted to be back on their own ship, in their own hammock. The title, or lack there of, of pirate meant little to them at the moment.

James grinned at his friends mingling around him. Someone bumped his arm, but he failed to notice it anymore. There was a light feeling surrounding him, he couldn't move or speak, or even really think, but the warmth traveled through his arms, legs, and entire body, making him feel as if he didn't need to. He was free…that one word caused his head to reel. Free from anything and everything…the Duke, Riddle, the King, the noose, the Key. None of it mattered anymore. James sighed. What would Lily say -

James stopped mid-thought as his eyes caught movement on the side of the ship. He straightened and a breath caught halfway in his throat. The men were talking all around him, but James was no longer listening.

Along the rail of the ship, near the boarding planks, he saw the redhead. She was standing still, not moving toward him, and her hair down around her shoulders. Her face was neutral, and her hands were clasped behind her back. She wore a long blue dress around her, short sleeves and a square neckline. The wind ruffled the dress and pushed her red hair against her cheek.

James swallowed hard. "Sirius. Remus." His friends stopped talking and glanced at him. James kept his eyes straight ahead, never leaving Lily's face. "Go get the ship ready."

Remus and Sirius looked at one another, then glanced in the direction James was looking. Each gave a small nod in understanding.

"Of course."

"Consider it done, Captain."

Sirius and Remus ushered the rest of the crew toward the boarding plank, passing Lily as they went. Sirius and Remus each gave her a warm smile and the other men nodded to her as they stepped onto the boarding plank and made their way across to their own ship. She returned each smile with a small one of her own.

Cook was the last one to pass and he paused, looking down at Lily with a warm expression. Finally he nodded, smiling to her and patting her lightly on her shoulder. Then he turned and followed the rest of his crew across the boarding plank. Lily watching him cross and land on the other side. The men on _the Marauder_ rushed around, moving riggings and rope that was strewn across the open deck. Sirius shouted out orders as he stumbled up to the landing. Remus snatched bandages from one of the pirates and barked at Sirius to open up his shirt so he could dress the wound. Lily smiled softly at the scene then turned her gaze back toward James.

He stood where they'd left him; alone on the deck. Slowly James began walking across the deck, evading passing soldiers, though his gaze never wavered from Lily. He finally stopped at the rail, a foot in front of her. He looked down and she arched her neck so that she could properly watch him.

She smiled at him but James could see how pained it was. Nonetheless, he returned the smile with one of his own, which appeared just as strained as Lily's.

"You received a pardon." Lily said slowly, her voice was soft.

James shrugged a shoulder. "In a way." He paused, watching her jaw tighten slightly. He knew the only reason the Duke would've changed his mind, would've decided to give him a chance, would've been because of her. "Lily." He reached out and touched her shoulder with his hand, which he hadn't realized was shaking. "What I wanted to say…before…was that…" He paused then took a breath. "I lo-"

He stopped short and stared down. With both hands, shaking as much as his, Lily held out the dagger, the one he'd given her, handle out to him. James' smile dropped from his face completely. It left behind a beaten, helpless expression.

If the dress hadn't been enough, the knife was; to tell him without words the inevitable. The contract was gone, Riddle was dead, her father was here, and Lily was finally going back where she belonged…back home to England…not on the sea.

His hand dropped down her arm and felt the knife handle against his palm. He saw Lily's chest rise with a painful breath as she fought to keep her eyes to the deck of the ship. She started to move her hands away, but James grabbed her wrist with his weaker arm and she stopped, now forced to look up at him. He positioned her fingers around the knife and pushed it back to her before dropping his arms with a shake of his head.

"No…keep it." She stared at him, stunned as she held the knife clasped in her hands against her chest. James shrugged a shoulder, trying to smile but failing. "Who knows…maybe one day…you'll need it."

The Duke stopped on the stairs to the landing, turning and looking back across the deck of _the Valiant_ to the couple at the railing.

Remus glanced up from the wound on Sirius' side to see James staring back at Lily. "Sirius." He nudged his friend, who turned and stared at the scene.

James reached up and touched her cheek with the palm of his hand, brushing away a tear that Lily hadn't noticed fall. "Don't get on any ships any time soon." He warned her, his voice barely a whisper. "I might be tempted to tie you to another contract."

Lily stared at him as he dropped his hand and took a step back. Lily's green eyes held James for a moment before he turned away. As she watched him turn fully from her and step on the rail and walk across the boarding plank, tears rolled down her cheeks and she cursed the salty drops and her tongue, for the one time in her life that it wouldn't speak up.

James stepped hard onto the deck of his ship. He glanced around and saw the fifteen men busily trying to make the ship sea worthy enough to get into port. He looked up to the landing and saw Remus and Sirius watching him steadily. He sent them a smile and shook his head. Then he turned and walked to the opposite rail, never once looking over his shoulder.

Lily leaned against the rail of the ship, watching James' back. She swallowed hard, and tightened her grip on the dagger as the soldiers pulled back the boarding planks, calling out orders to move the lines and get the ship on course.

This is it. Lily thought, still watching _the Marauder_. I'm going…home? Back to England, the castle…that's home. With my uncle, my cousins, my father.

But no Cook. No Remus or Sirius.

No James.

How could that really be her home?

The crew of _the Marauder_ had grown to mean so much more to her then simple men on a ship. Remus and Sirius, like two older brothers who were always watching her. Cook was her second father, giving her wisdom, whether she thought she wanted it or not. Micah, Thomas, Jake, Mitz, John: rowdy children who each tried to outdo one another, sometimes creating pure mischief, which didn't matter as long as James didn't find out.

And James. Fool, thickheaded, wonderful James. Who was too thoughtful for his own good, and had too much of a temper to keep him out of trouble. Who had abandoned her to protect her. Who had been bleeding and still had enough male in him to kiss her and send a burning fire across her lips and into her chest.

Lily closed her eyes, the memory of the kiss was enough to bring the feeling back into her lips and for her heart to speed up. _The Marauder_ was released of the cords holding it to _the Valiant_, and the former began to slowly pull away. The boat shifted beneath her and Lily stumbled, catching herself on the rail. Her eyes opened and across the space she saw James.

Lily's fists tightened around the handle of the dagger, her heartbeat racing. The fingers of her other hand ran along the railing, brushing across a piece of taunt rigging. Her hand paused, and the coarse fibers bristled against her palm as her hand closed around the rope.

Duke Evans watched his daughter from the landing steps. He took a long breath and rested a palm on his chest pocket where the contract was safely hidden away. His heart beat steadily against the ink and blood stained parchment - the final chapter in one young man's old life - or perhaps the first chapter in a new one.

The Duke studied Lily from where he stood, seeing how one of her hands tightened on the rigging, as if anchoring herself to the ship. If not for her the contract would not exist, if not for Lily James and his comrades would've still been locked away - on route to a hanging, while his ship burned next to Riddle's.

But that determined fire in her eyes had swayed his starched, clean-cut, rule abiding heart. That James had saved Lily many times before, that he'd let her go on his own accord, the Duke had been told. But he didn't need to be told of the love his daughter had for the pirate. He could see it burning from her eyes and hear it echoing in her voice. He also didn't have to be told the love that the ex-pirate felt in return - it was visible in the simple hand brushing a tear from a cheek.

Never before would the Duke have considered setting free a pirate. Especially the very one who'd stolen his daughter. And yet for the look in Lily's eyes he had.

The memory of that look held him where he stood, not moving toward the daughter who now clung so desperately to the side of the English ship.

Lily felt the ship beneath her move again and she felt a part of her rushing to leave, abandoning her on the deck of her father's ship. The same determined rush that she'd felt as she'd spoken to her father in the cabin came back, pulsing through her and making her hand that held the dagger move, brushing against her abdomen and settling its edge against the rigging.

Slowly Lily turned her head and found her father's steady gaze. Raising her chin ever so slightly, her grip tightened and the knife pressed harder against the rigging. Her father held her eyes and made no motion toward her and the edges of Lily's lips tilted upward, in a final resolution.

As she turned her head away the new sunlight glinted off the edge of the dagger and the Duke stepped forward, a worry line finally crossing his brow. "Lily." He unconsciously murmured.

As if she heard the whisper, Lily took a long breath, making her pulse beat behind her ears. The knife pressed harder against the rigging as the boat shifted and the Duke took another step, a sudden apprehension creeping under his skin.

It was now or never. With a twist of her wrist, Lily jerked the knife and felt the rope sever. The freed rigging shot upwards and Lily's grip tightened; her feet left the deck and her body was whipped upwards.

The knife fell, stabbing into the wood of the deck as the Duke fell forward, stumbling across the deck, shoving past many surprised soldiers, and grasping the rail as he stared up at the swinging rope and his daughter.

He was quite positively sure that Lily had never known how to do that before, and as the rope swung toward _the Marauder_, he wasn't entirely sure she knew what she was doing now.

"Lily!" He yelled aloud.

Sirius leaned against the rail on the landing stairs, looking down his unbuttoned shirt at the bandages Remus was pressing to his side. Sirius winced and angled his head away. An agonized shout reached his ears and his head turned to find the problem. High above, in the valley between the two ships, a flutter of color and body, swinging dangerously toward _the Marauder_. Sirius paled.

"Remus!"

The second mate looked up sharply and jumped at the horror on Sirius' face. He followed his friend's gaze and his heart stopped.

Sirius swallowed hard. "It's-"

Remus' head snapped around. "James!" He bellowed.

James was leaning on the opposite rail of the ship, ignoring the blood on his shirt, staring into nothingness and letting his heart beat out every pitiful second, hoping that when he finally looked over his shoulder the other ship would have already disappeared over the horizon.

Remus' shout broke into his distress, and he jerked up, whipping around, then clutching his shoulder as pain shot through it, protesting his unheeding motion. His eyes then saw what had stopped every pirate and English sailor in their tracks. James' heart stopped.

And he surged forward across the deck.

Lily could not hear Remus or Sirius or her father's yell over the one that her own lungs forced from her lips as she flew through the air. The rope seared her palm as it slipped from her grip, and she found herself falling though the air, toward the deck of _the Marauder_.

Remus and Sirius stood frozen in horror, watching the figure falling down through the air. The bandages slipped from Remus' fingers and tumbled down the landing steps.

Duke Evans' hands tightened on the rail. Men ran behind him, frantic, as he watched his daughter fall, unable to do anything.

James' feet pounded on the deck as he ran toward the opposite rail. His eyes never left the figure falling steadily towards him; closer and closer… He reached out his arms and lunged.

Lily fell heavily into his arms, knocking the breath out of his chest as her body hit his. His hands wrapped around her on impact and James stumbled backwards, his feet catching on the debris, sending him and the girl in his arms heavily onto the deck.

James rolled to avoid landing on his shoulder, and his back hit a chunk of wood with a painful thump as Lily's body sagged against his chest. He coughed then groaned and looked across his chest, still trying to get his breath back. Lily's face was pressed against his chest, her hands tightened on the front of his shirt. His arm was still tightly secured around her waist. A sigh of relief spread through his limbs as she slowly opened her eyes to meet his.

Sirius sagged against the rail and Remus began stumbling down the stairs.

Lily stared across her hands and James' chest into James' face and saw the relief reach his eyes. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, and could feel his pounding against her hands, his chest rising and falling with each breath.

Slowly, James brought himself upward, pulling Lily with him, then steadying himself and Lily. He dropped his arm and stared at her, unable to speak. Lily felt a warm blush reaching her cheeks as his eyes stared intently, unbelievingly at her.

Remus stopped at the bottom of the steps, watching Lily and James from afar. Sirius nearly ran into him, catching himself just before impact. "I can't believe she did that." Sirius breathed aloud. "She…she just jumped ship!" He balked.

He wasn't the only one balking. English sailors were staring from _the Valiant_'s deck, and the fifteen survivors of James' crew had stopped what they were doing to stare at the pair who stood mutely in the middle of the deck.

There was in fact only two people who did not look as shocked and appalled as every other man: Cook and the Duke.

Cook had straightened until the moment James had caught Lily in his arms. With a small, knowing smile on his lips he sat down again, braiding a robe with certain hands.

The Duke pulled himself away from the rail, his eyes still watching intently as James pulled Lily up. He took a breath and then averted his eyes, which caught sight of the dagger Lily had left behind, sticking perfectly out from the wooden deck. Slowly, the Duke bent down and plucked the dagger from the floor, turning it in his hand. Sun glinted off the blade, reflecting across the Duke's face. He smiled slightly.

The captain of _the Valiant_ had come up to the Duke's shoulder. "Sir, shall we move closer and place boarding planks?" He asked, his body seemed to wish to move towards the action even as he asked permission.

But the Duke instead studied the dagger clasped tight in one palm. "No, captain that is not necessary."

The captain looked confused. "But, sir…"

"I think the most important thing to do is inform my brother of the death of Captain Riddle." The Duke looked over at the captain, a smile hovering around his lips. "And the _interesting_ course of events. Don't you?"

The captain still looked unsure, glancing toward _the Marauder_, then back to the Duke. Finally he nodded, barking at the still gaping soldiers as he moved away. The soldiers moved toward their posts, even as they watched the other ship from the corner of their eyes.

The Duke turned, putting the dagger into the side of his belt, then crossing his arms and smiling in the direction of his daughter and the captain of the _Marauder_.

---------------

James was still staring down at Lily, his lips moving silently.

"Lily." He finally said. But then seemed lost for any more words. He dropped his gaze and then reached forward, touching her hand, turning it palm up. "You're bleeding."

Lily stared at him for a moment. "So are you, it would seem." She replied. James looked slightly stunned, then glanced at his shoulder, as if deep in thought.

James finally looked back up at Lily, his eyes unsure. "What are you doing?" He asked her.

Lily blinked at him, surprised.

"You're father is here…to take you home…you're free…" He said slowly. "So what are you doing back on my ship?" He asked, perhaps somewhat forcefully.

Lily raised her chin and squared her shoulders. "I would think that would be obvious." She responded.

James blinked at her. "Obviously not or I wouldn't be asking." He pointed out, still slightly breathless, though he wasn't sure if it was from catching Lily or the increasing beat of his excited heart at her being less than a foot from him. He swallowed hard.

Lily raised an eyebrow at him, looking slightly amused at the way he was watching her, though in truth she was also nervous. "Shall I spell it out for you, Captain Potter?"

"I believe you must." James still had not torn his gaze from her face.

"Then I will." She said, putting her other hand on his shirt, looking up at him. "I decided that I was not going to be abandoned a second time in barely a day, especially by someone I love." She tightened her hand in his shirt and pulled him down, raising up slightly to meet his lips.

James made a gurgled sound of surprise and pulled away a moment later, staring in shock down at her. "Are you out of your bloody mind!" He balked at her. "Your father is - " He stopped staring over her head. "Leaving." He mumbled, his voice hoarse.

Lily turned and looked over toward _the Valiant_, seeing it pulling further away from _the Marauder_, sending small waves from its bow as it picked up speed through the calm waters. Lily smiled softly, seeing the her father on the railing watching her. She turned back and found James looking down at her with a much different expression.

"You jumped ship…you cut the rigging and jumped ship…jumped to my ship…" He informed her as if she had missed the experience all together.

Lily smiled slightly. "Well…yes I-"

James' hand that held hers tightened and pulled her forward, flush against his chest, looking down at her with darkening blue pools. Lily's smile increased as James leaned down and kissed her full on the mouth, his hand on her waist pulling her closer until she was crushed against him, unable to move.

With a sudden bark of laughter James broke the kiss and picked her up, holding her tight against him as she wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her forehead on his.

"You are the craziest, most unpredictable, infuriating person I have ever had the fortune to meet." He told her, smiling. "And I have a mind that half of that is entirely my fault."

Lily ran a hand down his cheek, finally letting it rest on his shoulder, returning his smile with one of her own. "Most likely."

James leaned forward. A second before catching her lips he let out a warm murmur that only Lily's ears could hear. "I love you, Lily Evans."

Remus and Sirius stood at the railing, watching James and Lily, each with a smile on his face. Remus folded his arms across his chest, a fond and amused look in his eyes. Who would've thought six months prior that this would be the ending - especially for such a distinctly different pair. Sirius grinned, watching as James kissed Lily. Slowly the first-mate's smile widened even further.

"Well," the dark-haired ex-pirate spoke suddenly, a suspicious ring in his voice. "I guess that's it then."

Remus glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "I suppose."

Sirius shoved his hand, palm upwards, toward Remus. "Pay up."

Remus turned his head, raising his eyebrows as he fixed his gaze on Sirius. "I beg your pardon?"

A loud snort came from Sirius. "Don't try to act as though you're oblivious. A bet is a bet and I won…so pay up!"

"What do you mean _you_ won?"

"I said that James would end up falling in love with Lily. And clearly…" Sirius waved his hand toward the couple on the deck, pausing in his speech. His hand then returned to its begging position.

Remus, however, was shaking his head. "In case you've forgotten, I bet that Lily would fall in love with James. And her recent actions seem to demonstrate _that_ quite clearly." For example, Remus thought mildly, jumping across to the ship. Remus glanced again at James and Lily.

Sirius was frowning. "Wait…so does that mean that we…that we…" He balked at Remus. "Are at all draw?!"

Remus nodded his head. "I suppose it does." He looked over at Sirius, smiling slightly.

The first mate looked disgusted. "But that's…terrible!"

"You didn't lose any money."

"But I didn't get any either! I'm stuck with the same lousy sum I had to begin with!" Sirius threw up his hands, wincing slightly and touching the bandages on his side.

Remus tried to hold back his laugh, instead throwing an arm around Sirius' shoulders. "Look at it this way. Riddle's dead, the Duke's let us go free, and Lily and James are together…finally."

Sirius shrugged of Remus' arm and grumbled. "Yeah, but we have no key, no treasure, and no way to get any money!"

Remus rolled his eyes and looked back over at James and Lily.

Sirius sighed and crossed his arms, thinking to himself. The disgruntled look on his face slowly faded as he watched his captain and his captain's girl. He supposed it would've just been a pain to find a place to store all the treasure anyway. A shadow of a smile passed across his lips.

"So…" He said slowly, his eyes not leaving James and Lily. "Any wagers on the name of their first born child?" He questioned offhandedly, turning his head toward Remus.

Remus didn't respond at first, his eyes still focused on Lily and James. Then a smile slowly spread on his face and he glanced down at Sirius. "Boy or girl?"

Sirius smirked.

Lily pulled away from James, a smile on her face as she felt his breath on her lips. "I thought you said pirates didn't fall in love."

James paused, staring back at Lily, half surprised at her words. Slowly he loosened his arms so that Lily's feet found the deck, though her hands were still on his shoulders. "They don't." He responded in a monotone.

Lily's eyes darkened and her hands dropped to her side as her face tilted away, his words harsh in her ears.

James couldn't hold his smile back any further as he touched her cheek and turned her gaze back to him. "Luckily, according to a certain contract…I'm no longer a pirate."

Lily's eyes burned with happiness and she smiled wide at him. "Oh really." She returned, resting her hand on the crook of his arm, leaning up near him.

"Mmhm." James replied placing a hand on the small of her back, as his nose brushed hers. "And you know, I'm not one to break a contract."

Lily laughed aloud and closed the gap between them.

The sea wind brushed past James' cheek, and pulled at Lily's gown, then rushed along the floor of the deck, blowing past Sirius and Remus, then dipping down to skim the ocean, pulling up the water and moving the waves along the surface in a dance, until it finally swooped upward, circling and drifting toward the south, where the last two stars shown bright in the pale morning sky.

_The End

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I hope you all enjoyed it, I certainly have enjoyed writing this story : the longest and most detailed story I've ever written, and one of the only ones I've ever finished. Thank you so much for all your support and reviews, the story would not have gotten finished without them. Please check into my profile for any further news or updates and possible sequals/prequals to this story. Once again thank you all so much and please review!

-Heroofthecastleofmarble


	21. Author's Note

_Author Note:_

_No this isn't an extra chapter to Wind and Waves. That story is finished (moment of silence please :( )_

_However, I have started a sequel to Wind and Waves and the prologue is now posted on my profile. Please go check it out :) It is called As the Wind Blows_

_Also, for those of you who reviewed on the last chapter and I have not replied to, I will as soon as I can. It takes me awhile and for that I apologize. _

_-HeroOfTheCastleOfMarble_


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